


Ghost Child

by Zeelian



Series: The Eternal Universe - Birth of a Dragon [9]
Category: Fantasy - Fandom, Original Work, Science Fiction - Fandom
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Demons, Alternate Universe - Magic, Artificial Intelligence, Growing Up, Human Trafficking, Moral Dilemmas, Multi, Old Souls, Reincarnation, merfolk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-24
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-01-25 22:43:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 69,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18584116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zeelian/pseuds/Zeelian
Summary: With plans for the immediate future done Takeshi heads out on the promised shopping trip to the Big Apple, but as always things don't turn out the way he planned them as he comes across Amber, a Ghost Child, and Jenna, a high spirited young woman out for revenge.There is also the matter of dealing with old relics left over from the GCTI, and one of those, a brainchild of Daniels', turns out to be more than imagined.





	1. The Big Apple

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

New York, December 8 2041

It was a few hours before sunrise when Takeshi set the Blackout down on the helipad outside the penthouse suite where they would be staying, it was one of the positive effects of taking down the GCTI, New York had reopened the rooftop helipads.  
“Come on girls, wake up. You can sleep more when we get inside.”  
There was plenty of grumbling as he woke the twins to get them inside, but they did reach for him and put their arms around his neck when he picked them up.  
While Takeshi carried the twins into one of the bedrooms, Melissa and Amanda helped Emelie and Knight carry the luggage inside before heading for the other bedroom.  
Once the girls were settled in Takeshi called the concierge to make arrangements to have the items needed to make a proper breakfast sent to the suite, while he was sure the breakfast at the hotel restaurants would be excellent it would be easier to eat in, letting the girls stick to their usual routine of barely contained chaos without disturbing the other guests.

Once the girls were up they made a beeline for the breakfast table and while copious amounts of toast and hot cocoa vanished they set out to make some immediate plans for the day.  
“Now, it's gonna be pretty cold while we're here so I was thinking we should get a nice big limo for today and head out to buy some proper winter clothes.”  
The twins had mostly grown out of the clothes they had bought at the start of their vacation and Knight, Melissa and Amanda didn't really have much to start with.  
“Daddy, can we buy princess cloaks this year?”  
“You promised we could when we got bigger.”  
“Can you act like proper princesses while wearing them so you don't ruin them?”  
“Yes!”  
“We promise!”  
"Okay then, if we find a store that sells them you can buy them.”  
“Yay!”

Melissa and Amanda were looking at them with rather bewildered looks so Takeshi quickly explained what the twins were talking about.  
“When we were in Gothenburg to meet Eriko we came across this tiny lite store specializing in bridal and prom gowns and one of the items on display were these long, hooded cloaks with fur lining.”  
“Sounds pretty...”  
Amanda had a rather dreamy look on her face which had Melissa snickering at her and calling her silly, but there was only amusement in the words.  
“They were actually really beautiful. And yes, you can have one too if we find a store that sells something like it.”  
The bright blush was accompanied by a brilliant smile before she quickly looked down into her mug as if the contents were the most interesting thing ever.  
While the other finished their breakfast Takeshi called for the concierge to make arrangements for the limousine and to see if they could get some suggestions for suitable stores.

“He's cute.”  
The young concierge actually blushed slightly at Maria's open assessment and it made Takeshi want to tease him a bit.  
“Indeed he is.”  
Carefully sifting through the various reaction Takeshi focused on getting a feel for the young man, especially a feel for how any advances would be received.  
“Are you going to seduce him?”  
He wasn't entirely sure if he should scold her or thank her as the blunt question made the concierge splutter slightly and allowed Takeshi to read his aura quite well, well enough to know that any advances would not be reciprocated.  
“That would be somewhat inappropriate since we are guests at the hotel. Also, I don't think he's interested in men.”  
“Oh... I see.”  
“Why don't you go get your sister and start making your Christmas wish-list while we pick a few stores?”  
“Okay!”

Moments later she was gone and Takeshi turned to the concierge with a crooked smile.  
“I'm sorry if we made you uncomfortable. They are used to being around people who don't really care about genders much when choosing their partners.”  
“Nah, don't worry. As long as people respect it if I'm not interested none of that bothers me. And trust me, it's not the strangest thing I have had a guest say.”  
“I can imagine. And I think it's only fair to warn you that those two will do their best to claim that title.”  
The young man looked a bit worried so Takeshi quickly continued.  
“They are nice girls, but they love their tricks and pranks.”  
“We're gonna be kitsune when we grow up!”  
The confident claim from the door to the room the twins were using made Takeshi laugh before asking Maria if something was wrong.  
“We want to make a real list, but we don't have any paper...”  
“Why don't you start making a list on your tabs then we can buy some paper today so you can start making the proper list tonight?”  
“Okay!”

With the twins out of his hair Takeshi spent about an hour with the concierge to plan the main parts of their shopping and he knew the girls would be happy to find out that the concierge had known of a store that had the type of cloaks they wanted.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

They spent most the morning shopping for clothes before heading to a restaurant that the concierge promised would serve an all you can eat hearty mutton stew to die for and when they arrived they found it was more of a pub than a restaurant and the smell when they entered was mouthwatering.  
In the center of the dining area was several large cauldrons, with the largest one containing the stew that apparently was the only dish offered.  
The rich stew had a deep and warm scent of herbs, garlic and dark porter and as far as Takeshi could tell it was thickened by mashing potatoes that had been cooked along with the meat and the entire thing was served in a big bowl with a pile of boiled potato chunks on top.

“I like this place, it's cozy.”  
Amanda was looking at the way people walked up to the cauldrons and adding another ladle or two to their plates before heading back to the large tables and sitting back down.  
“Indeed.”  
The place had a family feel and from the way conversations were going around the table it was quite clear that most of the patrons were regulars and when Takeshi and the others approached the table the other guests greeted them and moved around to make room for them to sit as a group.  
Takeshi found that he very much enjoyed the way they were instantly pulled along into the conversation, and it was quite obvious that Knight was loving it as well.  
Melissa and Amanda were a bit nervous about being so readily approached by the male patrons though, but after a quick change of seats to place them between Takeshi and Knight they slowly began to relax.  
“Mind yer manners, yer scaring the lasses!”  
Noticing the cause of their discomfort one of the older women quickly gave the men around the table a searing scolding before turning to Melissa and Amanda and assuring them that the _loudmouth heathens_ meant no harm.  
By the time they started on the still hot apple tarts that were served for dessert it felt almost like home with everyone chatting away happily as some patrons left and others arrived.

Once they had eaten the decided that the rest of the day would be spent looking around for gifts for everyone back home, just small trinkets and souvenirs.  
It wasn't without issues though as walking around Manhattan made Takeshi's skin crawl, their group was drawing a lot of attention and he didn't like it, it was setting his instincts on edge, making him want to hide the others away, shield them from the outsiders, protect those that were his and make sure no one could steal them away from him.  
“Take, what's wrong?”  
Knight's voice carried a distinct concern and when Takeshi didn't answer he tugged on the bond.  
 _“Alpha, what has you so riled up?”  
“The attention, it makes my instincts flare, my skin crawl. Even before I changed I didn't like being the center of attention like this. I was raised as a shadow, and a shadow is not supposed to be noticed.”  
“Don't worry, you have a beta now, learn to put some faith in me, you are not alone in guarding them, I will honor my oath even if you are still here, you have my word.”  
_

Underneath Knight's words Takeshi could feel a simmer of anger mixed with sympathy that had him slightly confused.  
 _“Now, how about you tell me what has_ _ **you**_ _riled up?”  
“This council of yours, to force a child into such a life without choice. That's just wrong. Even I had a choice. It may have been expected for those of my blood to become guards or courtesans but we were always free to choose another path.”  
“Can't say I agree with their methods, but it did give me a strength I wouldn't have had if they didn't. I would probably have received the Ryuken in the end anyway as I would have been named heir, but I would not have had the same level of skill and power that I do now.”  
“Perhaps, but that doesn't make it right.”  
_Their silent conversation was interrupted by the twins who had spotted a small cart selling roasted chestnuts and were now begging for money to buy a bag.  
 _“Well,_ Beta _, how about you handle this one?”  
_ Takeshi teased, earning him a huff and a grin as Knight allowed the twins to drag him to the cart.

“Can we have a bag each? Please Uncle Logan?”  
Looking at the sign that listed the prices Knight quickly decided he might as well buy a few extra bags, they did smell rather nice after all.  
“Two big bags, and two medium bags please.”  
The man behind the cart nodded and quickly began filling the bags while the woman took the money and handed back the change.  
“Yay!”  
“Uncle Logan is the best!”  
The cheering was instant when Knight handed them the smaller bags and gave them a pat on the head.  
“Now girls, do try to share some with the others.”  
Knight held out the opening of one of the large bags towards Takeshi, offering a share of the warm treats inside.  
He was rewarded with a low growl and a flash of fangs as Takeshi snagged the bag from his hand and ate a few of the chestnuts before handing it back, the small show of dominance helped soothe Takeshi's ruffled instincts.

“Oh, chestnuts!”  
Emelie practically purred as she grabbed the bag from Knight's hand and used her wings and body to shield it from him while she grabbed a handful of the slightly steaming nuts.  
The sudden shriek when Knight grabbed her by the waist, took the bag and tossed her over his shoulder turned plenty of heads and Takeshi couldn't help shaking his head with a snicker.  
“Take! Stop snickering and save me from this oaf!”  
Her complaints made Takeshi burst into laughter as Knight silenced her by putting his hand on her upturned rump and giving it a good squeeze which turned her shrill words into indignant spluttering.

“Do they always act like this?”  
Amanda whispered to Sarah as she watched the supposed adults act rather childishly.  
“Mhm, most of the time.”  
The dead serious look combined with the reply mumbled around a mouthful of chestnuts had Amanda and Melissa joining in the laughter.

By the time Knight and Emelie were done with their mock fight Takeshi had already taken the second back and was sharing with Melissa and Amanda who were alternating taking from his bag with taking from the twins' bags.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

After the evening meal Takeshi asked Amanda to join him in the Blackout where they would be able to talk without being interrupted or overheard.  
“Manda, have a seat please.”  
He indicated for her to take the co-pilot seat and she looked slightly irritated for a moment before she figured out how to make the seat swing out so she could sit down.  
“So, is this where you try to talk me out of it?”  
There was a heavy sigh and her tone was subdued.  
“Not really, even though that might be the end result it's not the purpose. The purpose is making sure you know what you are getting yourself into. I never had a chance to explain to Lissa, there simply was no time, she was too close to death. And I truly regret that, she is having a hard time with it now that she is starting to truly understand what it means.”  
“Such as?”  
“Well, you have noticed how instincts sometimes makes us act strangely?”  
“Yeah..?”  
“Instincts can be very compelling and trying to deny them can become outright painful.”  
She nodded silently so he continued, he would return to the topic later though and in greater detail.

“There is also the matter of time, of eternity. The blessing will make you stronger, healthier, time won't touch you, you can be killed though, so you won't actually become immortal, but you **will** become an eternal.”  
He spoke to her about eternity, about the pain of loss and the risk of losing yourself in that pain.  
He told her stories that Amarok had told him about Blessed who had lost themselves, lost the will to live, some had withdrawn from the world, taking their beast form and refusing to return, slowly becoming more animal than human, all to try to avoid forming new bonds only to lose them to time and mortality.  
By the time Emelie reached out for Takeshi to tell him it was time to say goodnight to the twins, Amanda was curled up in his lap, silently sobbing against his chest and it pained him to have been the one to bring her to that state, but she needed to know the truth.  
“Come, let's get you to bed too, we can talk more later.”  
Amanda sniffled and nodded, but made no motion to get up so Takeshi picked her up and carried her inside.

With the twins in bed and Amanda resting the others spent a few hours watching movies and talking before Melissa excused herself and joined Amanda in the room they shared.  
It was no more than half an hour later that Amanda emerged from the room and snuck over to the pile of pillows they had prepared as a makeshift den of sorts.  
“Um, guys, can I sleep here with you?”  
“What's wrong Manda?”  
Amanda blushed and fidgeted for a bit before blurting out her reply.  
“Lissa talks really loud in her sleep.”  
There was a moment of silence before everyone started chuckling and shifting their positions a bit to make room for her.  
“Come on, make yourself comfortable.”  
Amanda's face shifted to a bright crimson as she looked at the offered spot between Takeshi and Knight and after a few moments she poked Takeshi with her foot to get him to move back against Knight so she could crawl up on the outside of the pile instead.  
Takeshi could feel the slight pang of disappointment from Knight at her action, even if indirect it was a rejection that showed him he would have to work quite a bit more to earn the trust of those outside the pack.

“ _Don't worry, I'm sure she will come around once she gets to know you. With her past it might take a while. Dan and Matthews have been around for over a year and she is still a bit skittish around them sometimes so I'd say you're doing great.”  
“I, I know, but I still wish they all would be more comfortable around me. They are yours to protect and that makes them mine to protect, and to fulfill that duty I need them to trust me.”  
_Takeshi turned around and shifted about slightly to allow Amanda to curl up against him while Emelie and Knight shifted around to make themselves comfortable behind him.  
He could smell Amanda's embarrassment but she curled in closer anyway and he carefully wrapped an arm around her and tucked her under his chin.  
Still mentally exhausted from their talk earlier in the evening it only took a few minutes before her pulse and breathing slowed and settled into the calm rhythm of sleep.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

The next few days were spent browsing through a seemingly endless line of stores and sampling a wide variety of street-foods, courtesy of the twins who as always wanted to try everything.  
The girls were having a blast, but Takeshi and Knight were becoming increasingly stressed from the constant attention, especially Melissa and Amanda were drawing a lot of unwanted attention from groups of roaming young men and more than once Takeshi or Knight had been forced to intervene as the men refused to back off when the girls told them they were not interested.  
Emelie however was not as timid about the unwanted male attention as Melissa and Amanda, she had already punched a few guys out cold for groping her.

“If this keeps up we will have a rather interesting weekend.”  
Takeshi voiced his complaints to Knight as they watched Emelie chase of another group of persistent males by delivering a rather harsh blow below the belt to the apparent leader of the group.  
“Why is that?”  
“The neighborhoods we will be visiting are considered to be among the seedier and with this amount of trouble in the nice areas we can be sure to see a lot more of it in those areas.”  
“Well, we could just stay away from those areas.”  
There was a hint of amusement in Knight's tone that made it quite clear he didn't really believe his suggestion would be heeded.  
“The girls would be very disappointed if we don't go, there are several stores there they want to visit, a great restaurant that I'm sure you will love as well, not to mention some of the best street food in the country, the twins would be devastated to miss that.”

Knight's shoulders visibly dropped at the mention of how the twins would react to being told they couldn't go try the street-foods they had been looking forward to.  
“Maybe we should give Melissa and Amanda a few extra self defense lessons? I know a few human magics they should be able to learn that could help them buy time if they get in trouble.”  
“I though all your magic was demonic?”  
Takeshi was slightly puzzled since Knight had never mentioned it before.  
“Remember that the females of my bloodline were courtesans?”  
Takeshi just nodded for Knight to continue.  
“Courtesans in my home were often skilled with magic, especially the lower class ones who were entirely human. They needed something to keep them safe from clients who were usually much stronger, and with a wide range of powers. While those of my bloodline were high class courtesans they often helped the less fortunate ones practice their magic.”

Knight had mentioned some of it before, but he never did go into much detail about his youth, his family or the city where he had grown up.  
Takeshi agreed it would be a good idea to teach the girls as much as they could, but he didn't think they would be able to teach them much in the remaining days.  
Their conversation was interrupted by yet another altercation, this time it was a lone man in his late teens or early 20's who had cornered Amanda and was trying to pester her into going with him.  
As her increasing agitation began to become tainted by fear they both began to move to help her.  
“Wait here, I'll handle it.”  
Knight put a hand on Takeshi's shoulder while he stepped out in front of him and walked over to Amanda.  
“Manda, did you find what you were looking for?”  
“Uncle Logan!”  
The look on the man's face when he turned around to see who Amanda was waving at and spotted Knight had the others chuckling.  
“I found most of the stuff, but still missing a few things.”  
They watched as the man began stuttering and then bolted, leaving any shred of dignity he might have had behind.  
“My very own Knight in shining armor, minus the armor of course.”  
Amanda thanked Knight with a teasing smile.  
“I could always add the armor next time if you prefer.”  
His counter made everyone laugh, and tell him that it might not be such a great idea.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Logan? Are you still awake?”  
Knight had been listening to Amanda's slow approach and when he heard her whispered question he shifted slightly and looked up at her before giving her a short nod.  
“I didn't wake you, did I?”  
“Nah, I don't sleep much. And with the _alphas_ sleeping it's a _beta's_ duty to stay awake, to keep watch.”  
He watched as she slowly moved closer and when he shifted away to make room for her on the pile of pillows she didn't hesitate long before sitting down next to him, though he could still feel her unease at being so close to him.  
“You don't have to sit here if you are uncomfortable being this close to me.”  
Knight made sure not to make any sudden moves while he tried to soothe her discomfort.  
“I, I haven't been fair to you. You have been nothing but nice, and I have repaid that by pushing you away.”

Knight listened to her whispered words, and when she was done speaking he slowly reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder, carefully watching for any sign of distress, and while she was obviously stressed she didn't flinch or try to pull away.  
“Don't worry Manda. It's okay. You and the other girls have been through hell and it's perfectly understandable that it is hard for you to trust new people, especially males. I will keep working on proving myself to all of you and hopefully you will one day be ready to trust me.”  
“And still we trust Take without any hesitation... It's not fair.”  
There was an almost sad note in her voice that gave Knight pause.  
“Don't put yourself down for that. Take is special. There's something about him that makes you trust him and that honor of his will not allow him to betray those who put their trust in him.”  
He sat up and with a gentle push against her shoulder he urged her to turn to face him and once she did he placed his free hand on her other shoulder.

“Look at me Manda. I know Take has been teaching you about feeling the aura of others as a part of the preparations for the change. I want you to reach out and feel my aura and while you do, tap into that ring that Eriko gave you.”  
Knight tried to keep the slightly wild aspect of his aura under wraps and focused on relaxing as he felt the tentative brush of Amanda's aura against his own.  
It took a bit of effort to keep calm when her lack of experience and training caused her to accidentally push her energies deep into his aura, but she seemed to realize what she had done and an apologetic wave rippled through her aura as she pulled back the errant energy.  
He estimated they had been sitting like for about half an hour when he felt Takeshi's mind touch his in question.

“ _She was upset about not trusting me. So I suggested that she feel my aura and use that fox-trinket to look for deception. She's been at it for about half an hour now and I figure I'll just let her keep going for as long as she needs to, or until she's too tired to keep doing it.”  
“Sounds like a good idea. Though, if you had let me know before you did it I could have warned you that she tends to dig in deep, but I guess you found that out already.”  
_

Takeshi's tone held acceptance, agreement and quite a bit of teasing amusement as he simply shifted a bit and allowed Amanda to believe he was still asleep, if she had even noticed him moving at all.  
Knight just sat across from Amanda, hands on her shoulders he allowed her aura to explore, waiting for her to either find what she needed, or tire of trying.  
He was dozing off slightly under the touch of her aura when he felt a slight shift as she wove it in deeper, pulling at his energies and he knew the sensation, she was trying to form a proper bond.  
“Easy. Are you sure you want to do that? Form such a bond?”  
She didn't answer him with words, just another, more insistent tug on his aura, asking him to release it to form the bond.  
Unsure about how to proceed, and needing to make sure he didn't overstep, Knight reached out for Takeshi and asked him for guidance, for permission.  
 _“She knows what she is doing. I taught her how to when I initiated a proper bond with her. So I'd say let her. Unless you have some reason for not wanting a bond to be formed with her.”  
_

Takeshi's answer settled the last of Knight hesitation, and at the next tug from Amanda he allowed his aura to unfold and reached out for the probing energy, following it across the void between them he carefully wrapped his own energy around it, twisting the strands together before slowly spreading tendrils along the outer layer of Amanda's aura.  
After a few minutes of careful exploration he felt the telltale shift of energies as her aura became inviting and taking the invitation he gently pushed deeper, seeking out the source of the energy that was trying to form the bond.  
Once he found the source he wrapped his own aura around it and tugged gently and the moment he did he could feel a bond snap into place, strong and true and as the wash of energy faded away it was replaced by exhaustion and Amanda began to slump against him.  
“Easy. It's okay, come here.”  
This time there was no hesitation as Amanda leaned into Knight's arms and quickly fell asleep curled against his chest.  
The bond was still mundane, mortal, so it wasn't enough for them to be able to communicate without the familiar, but it was enough to allow her to get a better sense for his emotions, something that would hopefully help her trust him.

“See? I told you she would come around once she got to know you a bit better.”  
Takeshi snickered at the sight of Amanda curled up in Knight's arms, sound asleep.  
Knight gave him a glare and moved his arm slightly to accommodate Amanda as she shifted at the sound of Takeshi's muffled laugh.  
 _“How about you quit cackling so she won't wake up?”  
“Oh, protective are we?”  
_There was no hint of disapproval over the bond so Knight just huffed and ignored him.  
 _“Try to get some sleep before the twins wake up. I will keep watch.”_  
The brush of energy that followed was calming, almost gentle and Knight closed his eyes and returned a sense of gratitude as he willed himself to sleep.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Do you intend to make her _pack_?”  
Emelie's soft whisper made Takeshi turn around and face her.  
“If she wants me to, but I don't think she is ready for that yet. Part of her yearns so strongly for the sea. She wants the Blessing mostly so that she can join Stormborn as a denizen of the deep.”  
He kept his voice low to make sure he didn't disturb the pair sleeping next to them.  
“I know, she and Lissa both wants to leave humanity behind, to find their own paths. They have seen what evil mankind is hiding and they have no desire to be part of the species capable of such depravity.”  
There was a ripple of anger across Emelie's aura for a moment and it caused Knight to stir slightly before Takeshi quickly smothered it with his own aura, calming them both.  
“Maybe we should focus on finding Atlantis before we try to find my father? That way we could bring her with us, allow her to meet the Daughters of Poseidon. Maybe she will find a home with them, or maybe she will chose to return with us and become pack.”  
Takeshi hummed to himself while he considered her suggestion and after a few minutes he sat up and pulled his blades, crossing them over his lap he allowed his mind to drift.  
He felt Emelie rise behind him and lean against his back, draping her wings around them both.  
“I will talk to Logan about it, if he agrees we will seek out Atlantis first. Personally I would rather see you at full power before we go there. And from what he says the only way for that to happen is for you to be presented before Lilith.”  
Emelie hummed her agreement and began to trace the scales of Takeshi's tattoo with her nails, intentionally allowing the demonic sharpness to manifest enough to draw blood, blood that she cleaned away with languid licks, enjoying how Takeshi's innate power, what he called _reiki,_ reacted with her demon energy, sizzling against her tongue and making her throat tingle.

Takeshi and Emelie both watched with amusement as Knight began to wake up, only to find Amanda stuck to him like glue and her shifting had caused a bit of a _situation_.  
“Damn, would you two quit laughing and get me out of this before she wakes up?”  
Knight had learned enough about the views of current society to know his current position was considered highly inappropriate due to Amanda's age even if it was an involuntary reaction to how she moved in her sleep.  
“Now why would we do that?”  
Emelie teased him with a grin.  
“Manda! You better wake up and let go before Logan has an _accident_...”  
Takeshi pushed at Amanda with his aura while calling out to her with a slightly raised voice which was enough to wake her, and a few seconds later she realized the position she had gotten herself into during the night, causing her to push away with an embarrassed squeak.  
The moment he was free Knight made a beeline for the nearest bathroom while muttering about an increasing urge to seek out a _courtesan_ of his own to give at least temporary relief from his current predicament.  
“Oh no. I didn't mean to! He's gonna think I'm...”  
Amanda was mumbling frantically while sporting a vivid blush.  
“Oh don't worry, he knows you didn't mean to. Especially since he can sense it over the bond you forged before you fell asleep.”  
Takeshi brought her out of her near panicked state before sending her off to help get the twins cleaned up before they woke Melissa.

“Logan, feel up to a bit of a more serious chat?”  
Takeshi called when he heard Knight come out from the bathroom and had to struggle to resist smirking when he picked up on a slight nervousness, it would seem that Knight was still worried about what had happened.  
“Don't worry, I know you would never take advantage of her, or any of the girls.”  
Takeshi took a moment to explain why society had the views it had in regards to age of consent and that they didn't really care much about it since they had means to ensure no one did anything they didn't really want to, to ensure everyone involved knew what they were doing, what it could lead to and ensure that no one was exploited or taken advantage of.  
With Knight settled down Takeshi gave a quick run-through of Emelie's suggestion that they postpone the search for the Obsidian Halls and instead head for Atlantis along with Stormborn and Amanda.  
“I'm sorry Em, but I have to agree with Take on this one. We have no idea what awaits us at Atlantis, no idea what it will take to get there. It would be much better if you have access to your full power before that. Also, if you intend to bring Manda with us it would be good to give her as much time as possible to grow into her new abilities.”

Emelie sighed slightly, but she accepted that her suggestion had been voted down without any arguments, instead she made a quick mental assessment of a reasonable timeline.  
“So, a year, maybe two to let the twins become a bit more secure in themselves so that they can stay behind while we head to Iceland and Dimmuborgir. And if everything goes as we hope there, another year or two for me to get used to any new abilities I gain.”  
Both Takeshi and Knight nodded their agreement to Emelie's assessment of the overall plan.

By the time Amanda returned with the twins Takeshi and Emelie had grabbed a quick shower and checked on Melissa, but decided to let her sleep in.  
The previous night she had expressed her desire to stay in the hotel since she had little interest in the stores that was planned for the day but the tell-tale scent of blood and altered hormones told Takeshi that the true reason behind her desire to stay behind was the soothing water of the hot tub.  
Just like Emelie she had become immune to the standard RCS, or blockers, with her change and when they spoke to the Mother about making a modified version for her the old Avatar had told them that she needed to mature a bit more before they could do that safely.  
Fortunately her cycle had changed though so instead of a cycle being the usual 28 days she only had her period every 3 months.

“Girls, let Lissa sleep, she's feeling a bit under the weather.”  
Emelie quickly cut the twins off when they tried to head for the other bedroom.  
“Is she okay?”  
The concern was instant and Emelie explained it was one of those _Big girl_ things that she would teach them about when they got older and they quickly nodded and headed for Takeshi and Knight instead.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

Saturday and most of Sunday was spent sampling street food and looking through small shops and thrift stores without any specific goals and the twins were delighted to rummage through the shelves and crates filled with an assortment of toys, games and an entire room filled with plushies.  
But as they were headed back toward the hotel the pleasant atmosphere was interrupted when a young girl tried to steal Takeshi's wallet.

.·:*¨¨*:·.-Flashback-.·:*¨¨*:·.

“Daddy, something smells really good!”  
The way Maria looked at Takeshi made it quite clear that she expected him to locate whatever it was she was smelling so he took a careful whiff, mindful not to be overwhelmed by the smells of the city's less polished parts.  
After a few moments he picked up on the warm scent of Masala chai and since he couldn't find any other distinct scents that she would be able to smell that had to be it.  
“You mean that warm, spicy and slightly sweet scent?”  
“Mhm. Can you smell where it's coming from?”  
“I sure can, this way.”  
The others quickly followed behind him as he let his nose guide him to where the scent was coming from.

“What **is** that smell?”  
Maria just couldn't keep her curiosity contained and Sarah was eagerly listening as well.  
“It's Masala chai, a kind of spice tea.”  
“Okay!”  
They had no idea what that was, but they were just as happy anyway.  
Rounding a corner they found a small open square that housed several vendor stalls, including the Masala chai vendor and one selling prawn crackers as well as other flavors of the deep fried tapioca based snacks.  
The twins instantly begged to have both the spicy tea and big bags of the warm snacks that were made to order, much to the twins' fascination as they watched the small dry disks being lowered into the deep-fryer where they after a few seconds began expanding rapidly.

“Manda, why don't you order tea for us?”  
Takeshi offered her his wallet and she quickly took it and headed to the tea vendor and ordered the largest cup they had for all of them.  
“Hey! Stop her! Take she stole your wallet!”  
Amanda's sudden cries as a small girls bumped into her and took off with Takeshi's wallet instantly had the others at her side, Emelie and Knight quickly took the paper holders with the teacups while Takeshi focused on catching the scent of the thief.

It was clearly a very young girl and she had manage to take advantage of Amanda's distraction as she was trying to carry two trays with cups back to the others.  
“Come on, let's see if we can't find her, or where she will toss my wallet. I rather not replace all my cards mid trip.”  
Takeshi was pretty sure she would snag the cash and dump the rest the moment she felt reasonably safe so they needed to hurry if they wanted to catch the thief and not just find the wallet.

It didn't take long before the scent of the thief veered into a narrow back alley and Takeshi paused for a moment, carefully extending all of his senses to see if there were any others in the alley, there was a risk she may be working for some gang.  
 _“Girls, release you familiars please.”_  
It was a stroke of fortune that apart from Emelie's all the familiars were winged, allowing them to be used as scouts and a few moments after Takeshi's silent request they took off into the air and began circling the area.  
Moments later Amanda's moth told them that the thief was hiding between a couple of dumpsters further down the ally and they hurried to the location and spread out so they would be able to catch her if she tried to run while also forming a defensive circle around the twins.

.·:*¨¨*:·.-End Flashback-.·:*¨¨*:·.

“I believe you have something that belongs to me.”  
Takeshi's voice was firm, but not threatening as he quickly took stock of the girl, and the surroundings to make sure he hadn't missed anything that might indicate that they had been led into an ambush.  
The girl in front of him appeared to be about the same age as the twins, but it was hard to tell with any precision as she was gaunt and sickly from prolonged malnutrition and near starvation and the filthy, torn clothing, much too thin for the weather, hung like sacks on her rail thin form.  
 _“Be alert! I'm not sensing anything, but it could still be a trap.”  
_ A quick thought instantly had Knight and Emelie on alert, carefully shifting the girls into a position where they could easily be defended.

“ _Now girl, you will tell me your name, give back what you stole, and tell me why you took it.”_  
Takeshi slowly began to weave power into his voice, mixing suggestion and command with the new, almost seductive power gained from the vampiric traits that Emelie's blood had awakened.  
It would keep the girl calm, keep her from running, while encouraging her to talk to him.  
“I'm Amber.”  
Even under the influence of Takeshi's power it took awhile for her to comply and toss back the wallet. Showing how desperate she was to get her hands on the money.  
“And the rest of the money.”  
A quick check had revealed that about half of the cash was missing.  
“That's all there was!”  
The lie was easily spotted, even the twins picked up on it without the aid of their fox-charms.  
“I will only give you one warning. There is no point trying to lie to me.”  
Takeshi allowed a slight edge to enter his voice, while he wouldn't actually do anything to the girl he had no qualms about giving her a bit of a scare.  
The girl, Amber, threw the wad of bills at him with a snarled curse before trying to run off, hoping that he would focus on the money rather than her, but a single word, heavy with the power of _command_ stopped her dead in her tracks.  
 _“Stay!”  
_

While Amanda and the twins collected the money Takeshi ordered Amber to sit down.  
“You will tell me your story, why are you out here alone, where are your parents, why are you in such a poor condition.”  
“I just wanted some food!”  
When the twins heard her attempt to defend herself, and knew it was true, they quickly offered her what remained of the bag of still slightly warm prawn crackers that they had bought, and she instantly snagged the bags.  
While Amber made short work of the snacks Takeshi was able to pull some more information out of her and what he found out had him furious.

She was a _Ghost Child_ , a child that as far as the government were concerned didn't exist.  
These children were born outside of the system from pregnancies that had never been registered, the mothers usually runways, illegals, addicts or prostitutes.  
Amber's mother was a prostitute who had gotten pregnant and when she had given birth to a girl the gang that _owned_ her had apparently seen it as an investment for the future, a girl who no one else knew existed, who would never be missed by anyone that mattered.  
She told her story as best as she was able to, which was in far too much detail for a child so young, it would seem the gang didn't care what they said in front of her, speaking openly about their plans.  
When the gang had decided it was time to auction Amber out her mother had taken her and tried to escape, while she had managed to hide Amber away, she had been taken, and Amber was afraid she had been killed, for doing so.  
A quick look at the others revealed horror, anger, and determined nods.  
No words were needed as they all agreed to take Amber in and bring her with them to the estate, and hidden from the minds of the girls Takeshi, Emelie and Knight agreed that Takeshi and Knight would hunt down the gang and take them out, once and for all.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Amber, this is no life for a little girl. We would like you to come with us, we can help you find a family who will take care of you, or you can stay with us for as long as you want to.”  
There was an instant flare of suspicion as Takeshi offered to take her in.  
“Don't worry, daddy is one of the really good guys. He saved us and all our sisters from the same kind of bad people that tried to hurt you.”  
The twins reassurance had Amber looking rather wide eyed.  
“That's true, I saved these three and seven other girls from a very bad man who was planning to sell them to other very bad men.”  
“What happened to the bad men?”  
There was a flicker of question from Emelie and Takeshi quickly told her that it was up to her if she wanted to tell Amber the truth.  
“I killed the one trying to sell them when I realized what he was trying to do, and together we killed the other bad men as well.”  
Deciding that honesty would be the best way to handle Amber she told her the truth, though without any of the gruesome details.

Amber was silent for a while before looking at Takeshi with something akin to hope in her eyes.  
“If you are good, can you save my mom of she is alive?”  
“I don't know if I can, but I can try.”  
“Oh...”  
The disappointment was obvious but the flicker of hope didn't fade completely which in turn gave Takeshi hope that they would be able to save Amber at least.

After some rather liberal use of Takeshi's powers mixed with the twins usual personality they eventually managed to convince Amber to return with them to the hotel, and a few well placed wads of cash and a few of Takeshi's gold coins ensured that the hotel turned a blind eye to their new guest.

“Can Amber sleep with us?”  
The twins begged for Amber to sleep with them in their room, but both Takeshi and Emelie were uncomfortable with the idea.  
Takeshi didn't sense any danger about Amber and the twins obviously sensed nothing bad, nor did their fox-charms give any warning, but he still refused to take any chances with the twins.  
“I'm sorry sweetie, but she will need someone who can keep an eye on her, so she will sleep with Lissa in her room and Manda can sleep with us out here.”  
Melissa on the other hand had trained with Kasumi, Eriko and Dan during the past year and her Blessing made her hard to hurt, and even harder to actually kill, and her enhanced senses would allow her to notice if something was wrong with Amber as well.

“Lissa, would you take Amber and get her cleaned up please? Em will lay out some of the twins clothes for her and I'll make sure there is some food waiting for her when you are done, so take your time. If she wants to try the sauna make sure to stay at the bottom, too much heat could make her really sick. ”  
He decided he might just as well start getting Amber used to being alone with Melissa and he could sense the older girls curiosity at the idea of caring for the young ghost.  
“Okay!”  
Melissa quickly ushered Amber into the master bathroom and once they could hear that they were in the bath Emelie went inside with some of the twins clean clothes and collected the dirty old rags, after checking them for any belongings she quickly bagged them and put them outside, unless it was something Amber absolutely wanted to keep they would have it burned.

When they returned from the bath there was a light meal waiting for them and Takeshi handed Amber a bowl with a light broth mixed with some rice and herbs, a drop each of Emelie's and Takeshi's blood had been added as well to ensure a rapid recovery without risking refeeding syndrome.  
“Don't worry, you will get more once we see that your stomach and body can handle that. Don't want you to get sick from eating too much, too fast. There is plenty of food for you, I promise. And when you are ready to eat normally again you can have whatever you want.”  
The last words made Amber light up like the proverbial kid in a candy-store.  
“You mean I could have a real steak? I never tasted real steak.”  
“I promise. We can buy a whole stack of steaks and cook them different ways so you can try which one you like the best.”  
Once again Takeshi's natural ability to gain the trust of those he met worked in their favor as Amber quickly settled down with her meal, and with the promise that she would get more food as soon as her stomach could handle it she joined the twins around their pile of games.  
She was still a bit skittish, and exhausted, but she settled in nicely and when it was time for bed she joined Melissa without complaints.

“So, Take, how are you planning to take that gang down?”  
With the younger girls sleeping it was time to make some quick plans for taking on the gang that had hurt Amber and her mother, Amanda was still in the main room with them, but Takeshi had a feeling she wouldn't care if she heard the gist of their plans.  
“Manda, do you think you will be okay hearing this, or would you prefer if we take it silently?”  
“It's okay. I know you're going to kill the ones who hurt her and her mom.”  
“Okay. But please, don't push yourself if it becomes uncomfortable.”  
“Don't worry, I won't.”  
With her assurance she would let them know if the conversation became uncomfortable Takeshi turned to the others to provide an outline for the plans.

“I will have to confirm the location she gave me, there should be plenty of information in the police database that D can help me get into. Then Logan and I will gear up and take the Blackout to the location in stealth-mode and put an end to their activities and try to save any captives.”  
“I'm guessing we will be staying a bit longer than originally intended?”  
“Yeah, probably.”  
Emelie snickered slightly at him as she knew how he felt about birthday parties and that he would be more than happy to evade Kasumi's and Matthews' plans.  
“How about we get some nice food for your birthday, then you and Logan take care of business on Wednesday? Then we can stay a few days to monitor the fallout.”  
”I could do without the birthday stuff...”  
“Oh no you don't! We are totally having a party!”  
Amanda's instant objection caused everyone to laugh, and Takeshi promised they would at least have some nice food cooked in their suite.  
Kasumi would be a bit grumpy, and the other girls would probably be a bit disappointed that he missed the party they prepared for him and he would have to make it up to Dan somehow, Eriko and Mathews wouldn't mind, and all of them would understand why they did it.

After the slight sidetrack they agreed that Takeshi and Knight would head out to take down the gang while Emelie would stay behind and keep the girls safe.  
“What about you guys? How will you stay safe? Those people will probably have lots of guns and stuff...”  
Amanda's concern made Takeshi smile and ruffle her hair a bit.  
“Don't worry sweetie. I always carry protective gear and weapons with me in the shift, and there's an entire crate with stuff in the Blackout as well. Including a few guns for Logan here, and he has his armor and sword as well. It's not my first rodeo.”  
“Okay...”  
She was slightly hesitant, but she accepted that Takeshi probably knew what he was talking about  
“By the way Logan, do you think your steed would be willing to help? Its demonic resilience and ability to move through the in-between could be useful to confuse the enemy.”  
Takeshi's pride at Emelie's question as unmistakable, he had intended to ask the same but she beat him to it, and the proof of her tactical mind made his instincts soar.  
“I think it will agree. It likes girls and while the demonic steeds are less prone to forming large herds than their mortal counterparts the stallions still have very strong protective instincts.”  
“That's good.”

With the main plans drawn the conversation quickly fragmented into various details, and Takeshi was very happy that Amanda didn't hesitate to ask questions and make suggestions, if she decided to become pack she could become a good beta for Emelie.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Good morning girls.”  
“Morning!”  
The twins were every bit as energetic and were quickly roped into helping prepare breakfast and when Melissa and Amber came out Emelie offered Amber a small mug with a runny congee that made the twins give her a questioning look, wondering why Amber was allowed to eat before breakfast.  
“Remember, Amber has to eat very small meals to make sure she doesn't get sick so she will need to eat more often instead.”  
“Oh, okay.”

When breakfast was served Amber was more than happy to sample all the foods on the table, including the nattō from Takeshi's bowl which made the others laugh as she pulled some pretty impressive faces at the stringy, sticky, beans.  
But it didn't seem like she minded the flavor all that much though once she got to the point of actually putting them in her mouth.

“Amber, why don't you sit down here so I can see if I can untangle your hair.”  
Emelie patted the chair in front of her, though, to be honest she didn't think Amber's hair could be saved, but the girl had not been happy about the suggestion that they cut it short so she would try.  
The hair was badly matted and prolonged malnutrition had left it brittle and damaged, but hopefully she would give in after suffering the attempts to untangle it for a while.  
“Ouch! That hurt!”  
“I'm sorry sweetie, but your hair is so damaged it's very hard to try to untangle it.”  
Carefully turning Amber around she gave her a serious look.  
“It would be better if we cut it short now so that it can grow out nice and healthy. I promise it will grow back again.”  
Amber was still hesitant though  
“We can cut our hair too so you won't be the only one with a short hairstyle.”  
“No! Your hair is super pretty don't cut it!”  
Amber instantly objected to the twins' offer, but it did make her think and after a while she agreed to let them cut her hair.

“You're cute...”  
Sarah's soft assessment of Amber's new look finally brought the girl out of her shy fidgeting and soon she was happily playing with the twins again, no doubt far more comfortable without the matted hair pulling and tugging whenever she moved.  
“Amber, are you ready to go buy some clothes?”  
The twins' clothes were a bit too big for her, though they would probably fit her nicely once she had a chance to recover to a healthy weight.  
Fortunately she had taken well to the added demon and blessed blood in her broth the previous night and was already able to take on more substantial food, though they did give her a small cup of herbal tea spiked with blood with each meal.  
Even with Emelie's potent Lilim blood and Takeshi's Blessed blood the single drop of each was not enough to cause any change, it simply allowed her to heal faster.

Most of the day was spend just being lazy, though Takeshi did go out to buy a few items that he would need in order to properly cook the following day, it also gave him some privacy to call and talk to Dan, and explain why they were staying longer.  
Dan had been very understanding of the decision, and told him to _Kill 'em good and proper_ from him as well.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_The Big Apple_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Early Tuesday morning Takeshi found himself walking through a fish-market looking for a nice collection of treats for dinner while trying to keep an eye on the twins as they ran from one vendor to another, seeking out what they knew to be Takeshi's favorites.  
The others had chosen to remain at the hotel, though he was sure Emelie would make a shopping run as well for a few symbolic gifts.

“Daddy! Look! A tuna!”  
The excited calls from the girls drew his attention to a small stack of crates filled with ice around a larger crate holding a relatively small, but beautiful, bluefin.  
Despite being out of season the fish looked remarkably healthy and he could instantly tell that it was of good quality.  
A short talk with the fisherman later he was allowed to take a closer look at it, and while he was no professional grader he could tell it wasn't just good quality, it was excellent, the meat and fat content was clearly grade 1, the small size, only about 40 kg could possibly lower the grade in the eyes of a professional grader but it was perfect for his needs.  
He quickly offered top dollar for the fish, and after taking a look at the fisherman's remaining catch he offered good money for the few, but good quality, items.  
He also paid a handsome fee to have use of the fisherman's refrigerated truck for the day, to transport not only the fish and other seafood from the market, but also meat and vegetables that he would be buying on the upcoming stops.  
The old man was eager to be of service, and to earn the equivalent of several weeks worth of generous catches sold at a good price.

A stop to a specialized meat market had added a selection of superbly marbled Wagyu beef, even a few pieces of of dry aged, genuine, top quality, Kobe Wagyu.  
Though, despite the chrysanthemum seal Takeshi had still used his abilities to question the trader to make sure he was getting the real deal.  
A nice selection of game meat had also been added to the growing cargo of the small delivery truck as they headed toward one of the upscale produce markets to find fruits and vegetables to match.  
At the twins insistence they had also stopped to get a selection of confections and a large, elaborate cake.  
He really hadn't planned on buying any cake, but when the twins had spotted the designer cake in the shape of a large black dragon curled around a pile of gold and jewels they had all but demanded that he buy one, and after a chat with the owner and a generous bonus they were promised that one would be delivered to the hotel in the afternoon.  
With everything bought they headed back to the hotel and Emelie quickly abandoned Knight to keeping the girls company while she helped Takeshi prepare food and Knight was just as happy to stay away from the cooking.  
Amber however refused to stray far from Emelie and clung to her side as she worked on the food.

“Is that real steak?”  
Amber looked at the thick slabs of Wagyu ribeye with wide eyes.  
“Mhm. It's a special kind from Japan called Wagyu. It has a lot of fat in it though so you need to be careful and not eat too much. And some people don't like it when there is a lot of fat in the meat.”  
“What's the other one?”  
She pointed toward the dry aged Kobe Wagyu tenderloin.  
“That's also a steak, but a different cut with less fat, it should be easier on your stomach.”  
The fact that the tenderloin had been dry aged for a very long time meant that not only was the flavors highly concentrated, but the enzymes had broken the proteins down quite well, making it tender, and easier for her to digest.  
“Okay.”

The entire afternoon was spent eating, talking and playing games, mostly to accommodate Amber's sensitive stomach to allow her to feel fully included.

It was just past midnight when they finally managed to get the girls to sleep and Emelie kept watch to allow Takeshi and Knight to get a few hours of sleep before they headed out to take down the gang.

 

 


	2. Dawn Raid

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Dawn Raid_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Takeshi looked out the hotel window as he began putting on his new Shozoku, the pale blue light of the pre-dawn and faint scent of snow told of a potentially cold day.  
The new version that he had made after he got shot when breaking Matthews out felt more like an armored riding suit than a Shozoku, he was used to soft bindings and flowing cloth rather than tightly fitted leather with plates and sliding scales.  
He recalled how Emelie had questioned him then why he was wearing a cloth Shozoku, even though it was crafted from kumo-silk which made it nearly impervious to small arms the close range rounds from the more high-powered weapon had managed to penetrate and lodge them inside his body.  
She had asked him why he didn't just borrow the tough hide and scales of _his dragon_ and she had made a good point, it would offer much better protection, but maintaining a partial transformation like that took a lot of energy and concentration.

In the end he had spoken to the Ryujin and she had agreed to give him some of her scales, a few pieces of her hide and tools crafted from one of her claws in order to craft an armor of sorts.  
Drawing on the power of the Sanctuary she had taken physical form and grown as large as she could before tearing away a section of scales on her belly to get to the hide beneath and cutting away a piece of the soft but strong hide.  
Her shadow nature made it possible for her to alter her form so that the loss of a large section of her hide didn't bother her or cause her to bleed out, and her regenerative power allowed her to recover such an injury and grow new skin in a matter of hours, less if she put more power into it.  
A selection of awls, needles, edging tools, punches and blades had been made from her claws, one of the few things able to penetrate the scales and hide.  
A piece of sinew had been cut from her tail and after resuming a smaller form a selection of scales had been added to the pile, though, he had returned later for more scales, adding a layer of tiny scales that offered strong protection while still allowing him full range of motion.

Pulling the tight balaclava style hood over his head and pulling his braided hair through the small hole in the back he made sure the lenses did not interfere with his vision, it had taken quite a bit of work to create them as Emelie had insisted he didn't use conventional materials, instead thin disks had been cut from Kiryu's claws and carefully thinned and polished until he could see clearly through the black, slightly reflective substance.  
Turning his back to the window he pulled the boots and gloves on and flexed his claws, allowing them to slide out through the slits made in the tips of the fingers of the gloves especially for the purpose.  
Reaching for the duffle-bag he grabbed his guns and secured the holsters before reaching for the tanto and securing it as well.

“Logan, are you ready head out?”  
He called for Knight while securing a significant amount of _Harigata Bo-Shuriken,_ finely crafted throwing needles, in various holders, both hidden and visible.  
“I'm good to go.”  
Knight was wearing his usual clothes but with parts of his armor out and Takeshi noted to himself that he would have to make sure to have something similar to his own gear crafted for him.  
A pair of guns and spare magazines were secured in leg holsters and the vambraces and gauntlets now sported sharp, retractable blades made for cutting and stabbing in close quarters.  
Securing a small weighted blade in the tip of his braid Takeshi stepped out of the small study that had been used as changing room, outside he was met by Emelie and a set of yawning girls, he had hoped to leave before they woke up, but it seemed they knew what he was planning and decided to ruin those plans.  
Amber seemed to still be sleeping though.

“Good morning girls.”  
The glares that met him confirmed his suspicion that they knew he had intended to sneak out without waking them.  
But when he kneeled down the twins instantly came to him and hugged him tight before going for his braid and together they began weaving a small fox-spell into the blade he had hidden there.  
He knew the spell, it was a rather strong stealth charm meant to hide whatever it was cast upon and while the twins were not yet strong enough to work a spell like that on a person they did a very good job on the hidden weapon, even if he was somehow caught and searched there was no way anyone who was not closely familiar with fox-magic would ever be able to find the hidden blade.  
“Thank you.”  
He tanked them both with a kiss on the forehead while they grumbled that he better return safely, moments later they pulled away and moved on to Knight and gave him a small knife with the same spell on and he thanked them in the same manner.

Melissa and Amanda simply nodded and told them to be safe but after a slight nudge of Emelie's wing Amanda darter forward and handed Knight the small silver charm bracelet she always wore.  
It took quite a bit of effort to keep a straight face when Knight kneeled down and declared his acceptance of the _Ladies favor_ before promising to return it to her with his glorious return once he secured their victory and Amanda instantly turned beet red and nearly tripped over Emelie in her hurry to step back as Knight rose to his feet and tucked the small bracelet away underneath his clothes where it would be safe.  
Takeshi knew Knight was teasing her, but he could also tell that he was serious about the meaning behind the action and words.  
Knight had been long sealed when such practices began, but the twins had made him watch every movie they could find about knights and tournaments, so he knew what it was supposed to mean, and played along.  
After a few quick goodbyes and promises that they would try to hurry back they headed to the Blackout, as planned they would use it's stealth to land on the roof of a nearby warehouse.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Dawn Raid_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

“So, how hard are you intending to hit them?”  
Once the door was closed and Takeshi started on the pre-flight check Knight asked the question he had avoided in front of the girls.  
“Try to free any that are forced to work for them, other than that, no survivors.”  
“Any particular reason for such harshness?”  
Knight hesitated slightly at the sharp edge in Takeshi's voice.  
“These are the lowest kind of scum, they make their money by indiscriminately dealing death and suffering. Scum like these are the reason behind all of the girls' suffering.”  
As Takeshi spoke his aura took on an even more fiery appearance than normal and smoke-like wisps of inky black threaded between the flickering flames and Knight pulled back slightly from the chilling sensation.  
“So this is the darkness you keep hidden from the girls. Your own darkness, not the simple shadows of the ones within.”  
It wasn't until Knight spoke that Takeshi seemed to notice the infected state of his aura and moments later the darkness receded slightly.  
“It is. But you have always known what kind of of darkness I am capable of, haven't you?”  
“I have.”  
The reply was even, nothing but calm acceptance.  
“You should take this opportunity to work of some of your own pent up rage.”  
Knight didn't answer Takeshi's suggestion and the remainder of the short flight was spent in silence.

After landing and securing the Blackout Takeshi pulled his blades from his soul and secured their scabbards in the holder, leaving them crossed over his back.  
Grabbing the mask that would cover the lower part of his face he made sure that the active filter was working as it should, it would protect him from smoke and gas in case of fire, or if teargas or similar was used by the gang, it would also protect his sensitive nose from strong odors.  
Once he was sure the filters were working he secured the mask and nodded to Knight that it was time to move.  
 _“Follow me. Don't use the guns unless you have to.”  
_

Takeshi could feel Knight nod rather than see it as they both lowered the barriers of the bond to allow a more powerful connection.  
The words of Knight's reply was in a language Takeshi didn't know, but he understood their meaning just fine, an oath of vengeance for all those who had been harmed by the gang.  
The guards were quickly and silently disposed of, necks broken and throats slit as the pair moved deeper into the building.  
By the time the gang figured out they were under attack they had lost nearly half their crew.

“ _Cover me!”_  
Takeshi drew his blades and dashed toward the group covering behind low wall, flipping the blades as he leaped over the wall he landed in the familiar stance of the Blade-dancer and with a quick twist the lethal dance started.  
The startled screams, cries of pain and shouted orders carried over over the rapid barrage of suppressed P90 and MP7 fire that echoed between the walls, occasionally interrupted by the heavy, sharp crack from the 50 cal Desert Eagles that Takeshi had taught Knight to use after he had seen Takeshi's own smaller 357 L5s.  
It was a strange sensation to feel the force of the rapid gunfire dissipate through the dragon-hide as the scales deflected the bullets but Takeshi quickly got used to the feeling as he cut down the ones firing at him.  
The sound and smell of battle set Takeshi's blood on fire and he could feel his usual transformation slipping, fangs and claws becoming more prominent, the slight shift in balance that told him his feet and legs were taking on the more beast like form, and he was sure his eyes were fiery red with slit pupils.  
Cutting down another opponent he couldn't resist releasing a short bark of excitement as he turned toward his next target and he could feel his Ryuken sing in unison with Glenys, both blades eagerly lending him their power in order to protect and avenge the defenseless..

A low string of curses escaped Takeshi when the kinetic energy of a heavy sniper round spun him around slightly as it shattered against the large scale that covered the left side of his chest, had he been wearing conventional armor his heart would be gone and he had no intention to find out if he would be able to heal such an injury if he could avoid it.  
 **“Alpha!”**  
It took Takeshi a moment to realize that Knight had actually called out for him, not just over the bond but actually voiced the cry, and while he didn't know if it was intentional, or instinctive that Knight had not called his name, it still gave a sense of pride.  
 _“I'm fine, Beta. Watch out for the sniper.”  
_ After silently assuring Knight he was okay, and teasing him a bit, Takeshi quickly scanned for the sniper's position based on his approximation of the direction of the shot and soon he spotted _her_ on the roof of an adjacent building.  
 _“Think your steed can get her alive? I want to question her if possible.”_  
The presence of a skilled sniper didn't match the profile of the gang and he wanted to know why she was there.  
The sharp whistle that summoned the demon was accompanied by a promise that it would try to get her alive.  
The sniper managed to fire one more round before being captured and dragged into whatever fragment of the demon realm that the steed used to travel, but this time Takeshi was ready for it and with a lightning swift slash he used the Ryuken to cut it in half and deflect the fragments away from his body.  
With the sniper gone Takeshi made quick work of the remaining thugs and when Knight joined him among the bodies on the blood-splattered floor he had to fight the urge to howl his victory, there was still a lot left to do.

Knight watched Takeshi take out their targets with a frenzy he had only ever seen in demonic berserkers, but at the same time it was controlled, precise, not a single motion wasted and he found himself somewhat surprised by the beauty of the deadly dance.  
Stepping up at his side Knight could feel the exhilaration in Takeshi's aura as it wrapped around him in greeting, and he knew that the rapid breathing was not from exertion but rather from a nearly ecstatic state and even though Takeshi's face was hidden by the mask, Knight was sure he was grinning in feral delight.  
 _“Easy Alpha, calm yourself. We need sharp minds, not raging blood.”_  
Knight's words brought out a low growl, part question, part challenge before Takeshi seemed to pick up on the submissive flow of Knight's aura and the words finally sunk in and he reined himself in with a snarl and a shake of his head.  
Takeshi's breath was still somewhat labored when he brushed his aura against Knight's as a show of gratitude for snapping him out of his frenzy, he knew they needed to be able to think clearly, but at the same time part of him wanted to just let loose, to kill without concern for how those around him might react.  
While he knew that Emelie would not hold his blood-thirst against him, that she accepted him for who he was, including his darkness, he also knew that it still bothered her to some extent, even if she was a demon now she was still much too human to be able to fully accept it.  
Knight on the other hand truly understood what drove him to such frenzy, he understood the darkness and the pure blood-lust it could trigger, he knew what it was like to relish the slaughter of those they felt deserving of such a death.  
Takeshi could feel Knight echoing his feelings over the bond and it took a bit of effort push them down, especially when he felt a heavy hand on his shoulder, the slightly painful force of the grip telling him of Knight's struggle to maintain control.  
 _“Not now. Force it down until we are done.”_  
They both knew that Takeshi wasn't only referring to the blood-lust, but to an entirely different fire that had begun to stir in the wake of battle.

There was little resistance until they reached the basement level that contained a number of secure rooms, some were used as prison cells and held groups of young women and a few young men, much to their relief there didn't seem to be any more children there and with a quick weave of command Takeshi instructed them to stay back and hide until the police arrived.  
Takeshi knew they were on the way, there was no doubt the building was watched, and the intense gunfire would have triggered a response, delayed only by the need to ready a heavier than normal response, and at this time of day most SWAT teams would already be deployed on various raids, further delaying the response.  
Some other rooms were used as improvised armories and store rooms for large amounts of illegal drugs and chemicals, luckily there didn't seem to be any actual labs running in the basement level.  
One room was obviously being used as a torture-chamber and the putrid stench of pain and fear mixed with both fresh and stale blood and semen made Takeshi retch but he managed to hold it down as he unleashed a burst of shadow-fire into the room, completely incinerating everything within.  
There was a quick movement at his side and a soothing hand on his back, even if Knight's sense of smell was not strong enough to pick up on all the nuances he had picked up enough of it and seeing Takeshi retch while feeling his reaction over the bond had told him the rest.  
Without much thought Takeshi reached out with the shadow-fire and destroyed the weapons and drugs as well, he was well aware that such things often found their way out of police storage and back onto the streets.

“ _Alpha? Let's end this, shall we?”_  
A strained growl was the only answer given as Takeshi moved on to checking the next door.  
Knight shook his head slightly as he carefully moved behind Takeshi, he knew what he was going through and it was not an easy thing, especially since Takeshi was so very human in many aspects, all while being purely demonic in others.  
They had both been trained to kill from a very young age, but the difference was that Takeshi had grown up in a society where killing was considered as something bad, a lot of the purpose of the _Kage_ was to do the killing so that they head would not need to dirty themselves with the blood of others and to actually enjoy or feel pride in killing was abhorred, even if the deaths were warranted.  
His own youth in the borderlands on the other hand held many demonic values, and among those was that it was perfectly fine to take pride in, or even enjoy, the killing of those who had harmed you, those of yours, or in some other way earned their fate.  
And now Takeshi was struggling between a very demonic pride and joy in ending the lives of those who had harmed innocents and the the very human revulsion at the mere thought of such feelings.  
In light of things Knight did the only thing he could, he focused on the bond and allowed his own views, his acceptance of Takeshi's dark joy and pride flow through it, smothering the lingering doubts and creeping revulsion with his own pride in the strength of his _Alpha.  
_

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Dawn Raid_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

The remaining doors had all held cramped sleeping quarters that were all empty and now they found themselves in front of a large, heavy bomb-shelter door and their senses told them that there were quite a few people inside.  
 _“We need to get eyes inside, they might have heavy weapons aimed at the door.”_  
Takeshi cautioned Knight while taking a small crystal from a hidden pocket and a quick wash of power behind him made him look over his shoulder in time to see Knight nod and call for more of his armor as well as his helmet.  
Focusing back on the crystal he quickly shaped it into a small dragonfly before using a claw to draw a drop of blood and place on the tiny head and moments later the wings began flickering slightly.  
While the thing wasn't truly alive and would only _live_ for a few hours before once again becoming a simple crystal, it was alive enough to allow him to use it like a familiar.  
He sent it through the ventilation and instructed it to relay what it was seeing to him, it's compound eyes giving him an excellent view of the room behind the door.  
As he suspected there was a mounted gun aimed at the door and there were several women held as human shields in the room, however it was the gun that caught Takeshi's attention, it was a state of the art grenade launcher that had been developed for use by the police and as far as he could tell it was loaded with short range riot rounds.  
While it wouldn't be enough to harm them those rounds could be enough to temporarily daze them and the gas would wreak havoc on Takeshi's senses and that could give the bastards inside a chance to get away.  
After a quick debate they decided that Knight would use his sword to cut down the door while Takeshi used Glenys to form a shield that would keep them safe from the effects of the grenades.

“ _Go!”  
_ The single word was accompanied by a flare of power as Takeshi focused his entire being on speed, pushing his pulse far beyond what would be considered healthy for a human, the moment the door fell the weapon inside would begin firing, and his intent was to allow Glenys to absorb the first round, and in the delay before the second round fired he would cross the threshold, cut the second round with the Ryuken and then take down the launcher before a third round could be fired.  
The feeling of standing with his back tightly pressed against Knight's chest, armored arms circling him as the massive sword was held in front of him was odd, but they had agreed it would be the fastest way for Takeshi to get through the door since he would be able to move without having to wait for Knight to get out of the way.  
There was a slight flicker of energy as the sword swung down and at first nothing seemed to happen, but then the force of the magic flowing through the blade flickered across the door like lightning and a web of glowing cracks formed, a small pulse of power behind him triggered the magic and the massive metal door shattered like ice.

Takeshi counted his rapid heartbeats as he prepared to charge forward.  
 _“1-2-3”_  
He watched as Knight's left hand fell aside to allow him to pass and he tilted his body down to make a smaller target while allowing for rapid movement.  
 _“4-5”_  
The first grenade shattered against the shield that Glenys had generated and as the shield vanished it took the gas from the grenade with it.  
 _“6-7-8”_  
He stepped over the threshold and everything was moving in slow-motion as he raised the Ryuken and readied himself to cut the grenade that was sliding into the firing position.  
 _“9-10-11”_  
Taking the final breath he would take until the weapon was down he swung his blade at the approaching shell, neatly cutting it in half.  
 _“12-13”_  
He felt the pressure-wave against his back when the gas inside the split grenade quickly expanded while he focused on reaching the launcher before the next shell could fire.  
 _“14-15”  
_ Swinging his blade in a sharp arc he cut apart the firing-mechanism just as the shell was about to load and much to his relief he was able to do it without damaging any of remaining grenades.  
 _“16-17-18”_  
The entire world seemed to grind to a complete stop before the power he had used to enhance his speed snapped back at him and sound exploded around him as the world returned to it's normal speed.

With their final line of defense suddenly gone the leaders of the gang began to barter for their lives, offering money, power, all the women, men or _children_ they desired, promising to pay more than whoever had hired them if they just abandoned their task and came to for for them instead.  
“We are not here because we have been hired, we are here to cleanse the world of your filth. We are here to avenge the suffering you brought upon an innocent child, to make sure you never harm another child they way you harmed young Amber.”  
The moment Takeshi spoke the name one of the women stirred and looked at him with dazed hope glowing in her eyes.  
“Amber? My Amber is alive?”  
The man holding her raised his hand to knock her silent but before he had a chance to finish his movement his head was separated from his body and Takeshi stood over the woman, guarding her, but this close he could feel that she was weak, suffering severe internal injuries and even now her life-force was fading away, she would not last the day without means beyond the grasp of mortals.  
“She lives and she is healing well.”  
He carefully shifted the woman into a position that did not put unnecessary strain on her injuries while Knight moved to guard them from the remaining men in the room.  
“Promise me you will protect her. Promise you will make sure she gets a good life!”  
The desperate pleading was rapidly draining what little life-force remained in her battered body.  
“It is within my power to heal you if you want to. You could return to her and give her that life yourself.”  
He knew he had to make the offer, but deep inside he knew she would refuse it, she was too damaged, her soul was screaming for release.  
“No, I would just bring her pain.”  
Her voice was barely a whisper as she refused the offer of life.  
“I swear on my honor that I will do everything in my power to assure your Amber gets a good life.”  
Takeshi didn't hesitate to give her the promise she had asked for and as she nodded her gratitude, no longer able to give voice to her words he silently slid his tanto into her neck, instantly ending her pain and releasing her soul.  
 _“Thank you, Chosen one.”_  
The words drifted through his mind as the soul passed through him while he carefully placed its empty shell on the floor.  
A single look at Knight was all it took for the old warrior to usher the remaining women outside and step back into the doorway, once in position he placed the tip of his sword into the floor and in a flash of power it morphed into a massive kite shield, effectively blocking the only way out of the room.  
 _“Do what you must, Alpha. I will be you beacon should you need a light to guide you home.”_  
There was nothing but calm acceptance over the bond as Takeshi released the darkness within and allowed it to consume him and moments later he found himself within his mindscape, standing before the Beast.  
 _“I will do what must be done, you rest within.”_  
The tone of its thoughts was unusually gentle, but there was an edge of steel to it telling him it agreed wholeheartedly with what they were doing.  
 _“Thank you. I don't care what you say or think, you_ _ **are**_ _my youma.”_  
He had asked before, but the Beast had denied being a youma but since that time Takeshi had grown to view it as such anyway.  
 _ **“Rest now.”**_  
The Beast ignored his words and its tone rose in power, demanding that he listen, but Takeshi could feel a sense of pride and joy from it, his acceptance of it being part of him clearly pleasing it.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Dawn Raid_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

The next thing Takeshi remembered was standing in the cargo-hold of the Blackout, strong arms pulling him close and a searing kiss that he returned without even thinking, it just somehow felt right.  
“Dammit Take! Please, never scare me like that again. I began to fear I had lost my _Alpha_ to the darkness within _._ ”  
As the memories came flowing back Takeshi leaned his head against Knight's chest and allowed his strength to keep him steady, but as the memories returned so did the fire and Takeshi found himself pushing Knight back against the door of the hold  
As his pulse and breathing became increasingly rapid and erratic his claws began to tear at Knights clothes, the fire within seeking a release it knew his _Beta_ would be able to offer.  
It took every shred of what control Takeshi still possessed to stop his hands and steady his breath enough to at least ask before acting.  
“Logan? _Beta_? Please!”  
Knight didn't speak, he just tilted his head back in submission and bent down slightly as he pulled Takeshi closer, pulling the elongated fangs against his exposed throat and when Takeshi bit down he was flooded with memories.

Takeshi was seeing himself through Knight's eyes, feeling his feelings, appreciation tinged with envy and arousal while watching the blade-dance, a jolt of fear when the sniper round struck followed by relief to know he was unharmed, and the excitement mixed with desire while approaching him when the fight had ended.  
He felt the shared revulsion when finding and destroying the torture-chamber, worry as they entered the bomb-shelter followed by a deep sadness tempered by pride as he watched himself end the suffering of Amber's mother.  
He watched himself be consumed by the darkness and end the lives of the remaining gang-members and when he turned toward Knight, covered in blood and began to stalk toward him while pulling away the mask to reveal a feral grin he could feel the mixed emotions, desire, fear, excitement.

He felt the searing kiss and when he felt something shatter and change within Knight he was overcome with guilt and remorse.  
The feelings intensified when he felt Knight's fear spike and settle into a cold terror, as he watched his own aura through Knight's eyes and saw the darkness almost completely overtaking his normal fire.  
There was a long pause where there was nothing but the constant flood of Knight's shifting emotions, then sounds began to filter in from the outside, the SWAT-teams had arrived and Knight was desperately trying to get Takeshi to snap out of it and move back to the Blackout but he was still under the influence of his darkness and refused to move, instead intent on eliminating the SWAT-teams if they dared interrupt.  
Then the world seemed to twist around itself and suddenly they were standing next to the Blackout and Takeshi realized that Knight's steed had somehow pulled them through the _in-between_ , the incorporeal realm it used to move itself to wherever it's rider needed it to be.  
He was obviously dazed from the sudden transportation as Knight guided him into the cargo-hold and once inside the memories seemed to fade away and he found himself back in the present.

“ _I'm sorry, I stole something that shouldn't be mine.”_  
 _“Don't be. You didn't steal anything, I gave it freely. I always suspected I would one day, after my heat I knew I would. All you did was speed things up.”_  
Takeshi allowed Knight to turn them around, allowed himself to be pinned against the solid door, the kiss that followed held none of the previous fury, it was no less intense, but instead of hunger and fire it was soft, smoldering, and bittersweet.  
 _“I know you will keep it safe, I know you will guard it with all that you are. And I hope that maybe one day you will be able to return a piece of your own in its place.”_  
The feeling of trust that flowed through the bond was absolute.  
 _“Just, please, never scare me like that again...”  
_ “I will try not to scare my poor, overgrown, little _Beta_ again.”  
The teasing promise was accompanied by a final brush of fangs against lips before Takeshi pushed Knight back and headed for the cockpit.

Takeshi quickly went through the pre-flight and once airborne he couldn't resist giving the SWAT-teams a bit of a scare by turning out over them and blasting their command-post with the compressed air-stream from the VTOL as he did a sharp vertical climb and turned toward the hotel.  
At his side Knight laughed at the burst of irritated radio-chatter that demanded they identify themselves and when Knight answered them in one of the demonic languages he spoke, turning the chatter from annoyed to confused, Takeshi joined the laughing.  
Chances were they would never figure out what language had been spoken and that would mess with them for quite some time.  
“You know, that was kind of mean.”  
Takeshi was trying to keep a straight face, but was failing miserably.  
“I'm learning from the best.”  
Knight's cheeky counter forced Takeshi to hit the autopilot before he laughed them into a crash.  
“I'm sure you were quite skilled at that long before I was born.”

During his pre-flight check Takeshi had reached out for Emelie's familiar and asked her to make sure the girls were not in the suite when they returned, Takeshi wanted to get a shower before seeing the girls as they were both covered in blood and other _remains_.  
It would seem that his darker side didn't share his preference for not getting any blood on his clothes.  
When they landed the rooms were indeed empty and there was a note from the twins that they were out getting food and would be back soon and Takeshi headed straight for the bathroom, knowing the twins they would be eager to get back.  
There were no words spoken when Knight joined Takeshi in the master bathroom, he simply took the washcloth and began cleaning Takeshi's back and hair and when Takeshi took the washcloth Knight turned around and and once his back was done he sat down on one of the stools to make it easier to reach his hair.  
By the time they were reasonably dry Takeshi could smell food from the suite and when they joined the others several of the smaller tables were loaded with a variety of food.  
The pointed looks that Emelie gave them when they entered the main room told them that she was well aware that something had changed, again, and that she wanted a proper explanation once the girls were sleeping.

“Daddy!”  
“Uncle Logan!”  
The moment the twins spotted them they threw themselves at them, welcoming them back with hugs while at the same time reassuring themselves that both the men were unharmed.  
“Welcome back.”  
Melissa and Amanda were a bit calmer, though Amanda blushed brilliantly when Knight kneeled down in front of her and held out her charm bracelet.  
“I return in glorious victory, my oath fulfilled.”  
She did manage to hold out her arm though so that he could place the bracelet back and carefully secure the small lock.

“ _Take, have you called Dan to let him know you're okay?”_  
Emelie took a moment to make sure Takeshi hadn't forgotten while they both watched Knight and Amanda.  
 _“Yeah, I called him from the Blackout to let him know the operation was a success, and that we have a prisoner.”  
“Prisoner?”  
_She quickly glanced around.  
 _“Yeah, a sniper, the steed is watching over her right now.”  
“Her..?”  
_There was a teasing quality to her voice that made Takeshi huff and promise he would tell her all about it once Amber and the twins were sleeping.

“Did you hear anything about my mom?”  
Amber's soft question brought their attention to her and made a sharp pain ripple through Takeshi's aura, but he had already decided he would tell her the truth, that her mother was dead, he wouldn't offer up any details though, but if asked he wouldn't withhold anything either.  
Kneeling down with a sad smile he held his arms out for her.  
“She's dead, isn't she?”  
“Yeah, I'm sorry sweetie. But I was able to let her know you were alive before she died, and I promised her I would look after you as if you were my own.”  
The other girls did give him a bit of an odd look, aware of his ability to heal someone by changing them.

“Couldn't you have saved her like you did Lissa?”  
Maria was the first to speak up.  
“I'm sorry sweetie, but I can only do that if they want to be saved. They didn't just hurt her body, but they hurt her soul, her will to live. Do you understand what that means?”  
“She wouldn't let you save her?”  
“That's right.”  
As expected Amber didn't take hearing that too well and she looked between Maria and Takeshi for a moment before starting to cry.  
“She didn't want to come back to me?”  
Takeshi just sighed deeply and pulled her into his arms.  
“That's not it. She very much wanted to, but the way they damaged her soul, it's not something that heals easily even if the body is healed. She didn't want you to have to see what they had done to her, and she was afraid of transferring that pain to you, so instead she made me promise to save you.”  
He knew that Amber wouldn't fully understand what he was telling her, but he was hoping that it would allow her to accept what had happened anyway.

Takeshi could sense the moment Emelie realized what he had actually done and her tail instantly wrapped around his wrist.  
 _“I'm so sorry love...”_  
Moments later Amanda realized as well and he could feel her deep sorrow over the building bond, but it was sorrow mixed with understanding and there was no trace of blame or anything of the sort.  
 _“You set her free.”_  
The twins picked up on the shift in the bonds, but they didn't understand all of it, only that something was making everyone very sad.  
“Don't be sad. She's not hurting anymore.”  
Takeshi gave Maria a soft smile.  
“You're right sweetie, we shouldn't be sad. We should be happy that we were able to save people, not just people they were hurting now, but save people from being hurt by them in the future.”  
Accepting her hug he gave her a gentle nudge to make her focus on Amber instead, and together Sarah and Maria began soothing the crying girl.  
“Don't cry sis. Daddy is a really good dad, he will make sure you're safe and happy. And we will will help, you're our baby sister now!”

Takeshi couldn't help laughing at the confident claim that Amber was their baby sister as it was in fact wrong, when the soul of Amber's mother touched his it shared the sum of her life with him, including Amber's date of birth.  
“Actually, you're **her** baby sisters.”  
“What?”  
“But she's so tiny...”  
“Remember, she has been starving, and when you starve your body can't grow properly. You were tiny for your age when you first came to us as well. Amber will grow bigger and stronger now too.”  
“How old are you?”  
The question made Amber blush vividly and stutter, ashamed that she didn't know.  
“I don't know...”  
“She is almost exactly one year older than you two.”  
“Is she a Cancer too?”  
“No, she's a Leo.”  
“Like Mommy!”  
“Cool!”  
The way the twins instantly accepted the information and carried on made everyone laugh, especially when they promised they would help their _Onee-chan_ be safe and happy.

“Why don't you girls help Em move the food to the sitting area while Logan and I see what the news have to say about our little outing?”  
“Okay!”  
Everyone except Amanda instantly agreed.  
“Can I stay here with you?”  
Sensing her desire to be there as support Takeshi nodded softly.  
“Of course you can sweetie.”  
Taking a seat in front of the large wall mounted TV screen Takeshi brings up a few of the top news channels to monitor them for any reports about their raid.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Dawn Raid_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

At first there wasn't much being said, just very confused reports about a major shootout and heavy SWAT presence at a warehouse by the Gowanus Canal in Brooklyn.  
It was quite obvious that they had SWAT very confused.  
“What did you do to make them so confused?”  
Amanda was watching with a mix of amusement and curiosity as reporters were trying to get a straight answer from various police representatives without much success.  
“Well, we killed all the bad guys, freed their enslaved prostitutes, and destroyed all their weapons and drugs without any trace whatsoever.”  
Takeshi explained with barely restrained amusement.  
“Oh, and I answered their request to identify myself by doing so in one of the more obscure demon languages I speak.”  
Knight's cheeky addition made Amanda break down laughing.  
“That was so not nice.”  
“So I have been told.”  
He smiled in return as even if they hadn't been bonded there was no mistaking the approval in her voice and aura.

While they ate the amount of information about what had happened gradually increased, though it was still very vague, speaking only about a clash between gangs and SWAT arriving after the fact.  
Once done eating they quickly cleared the table and brought out some games, they would continue their day as they usually did with a mix of games and lessons for the girls, while also listening in on the news.  
There was a sense of anticipation in the air though as the older members of the group knew there were things that had not been mentioned, things they would talk about once the younger children were sleeping.

“So, am I getting this right? They think all the drugs and weapons were stolen?”  
Melissa was looking a bit confused at the reports.  
“Mhm. Remember, shadow-fire leaves no traces, no sooth, no ashes, they don't know of anything capable of that so they assume everything was taken.”  
“Oh, I see. That should have them plenty confused and looking in the completely wrong direction.”  
With understanding she chuckled softly at how confused the police must be by it all.  
“That might actually be a good thing in more ways than one. They will be looking at the other gangs as the perpetrators, which will probably cause some major crackdowns, and cause them to be alert to the risk of a new group moving in.”  
“So next year is gonna be a bad year to be a trafficker in New York.”  
“Mhm...  
It wasn't really something Takeshi had planned on, but it was a very welcome fallout from their little raid.

“Take, I'm not feeling so good...”  
It was mid afternoon when Amanda turned to him with a slightly hoarse voice.  
He already knew she was coming down with something though, he could feel her fever and smell her body's distress, but he hadn't mentioned anything until she did.  
“Mhm, you definitely have a fever, any other symptoms?”  
“My throat is really sore now, it hurts to swallow.”  
“Sounds like a case of tonsillitis.”  
Amanda's groan made him smile at her and pull her into a hug.  
“Don't worry. We will make sure you get well fast. First, why don't we make you something hot and spicy to drink to soothe that throat?”  
“Okay...”  
“Sarah, Maria, Amber, I want you to have some as well, it will help bolster your immune system so you won't get sick too.”  
“Okay!”  
Looking through the options available Takeshi chose to make use of the Sanctuary planters to grow blackcurrant and fresh ginger, they had things like cloves, cinnamon and cardamom in their spice box.  
Amber was utterly enthralled as she watched the crops grow and mature in a matter of minutes in the enchanted planters, her first encounter with the true nature of her new family.

“How does it do that?”  
“It's a kind of magic.”  
“Oh, okay!”  
Like so many children she accepted the explanation without hesitation and soon she was sipping on a mug of steaming, spiced, juice along with the others.  
“Girls, there is one more thing I would like to do to make sure you don't get sick.”  
The twins instantly moved to his side and offered their mugs to him, they were familiar with being given a few drops of his blood to make sure they didn't become sick, or to help them recover if they did.  
With a quick motion he pricked the tip of his finger with his claw and allowed a few drops to fall into each cup.  
Amber did look a bit hesitant, but it was time for her introduction to their oddities.

“Amber, I know this may not be easy to hear, but the tea we have been giving you had contained a drop of my blood, and a drop of Em's. Because we are not human, our blood can help people heal. Make them stronger, and protect them from getting sick.”  
“Oh...”  
She did look slightly queasy at first but it quickly settled.  
“I'm really sorry we didn't tell you the truth earlier, but it was more important that you recover without getting sick so we couldn't risk that you would refuse to let us treat you.”  
“You didn't really lie either. You only said it would make me better and it did.”  
Amber's answer rewarded her with a proud smile.  
“All of us really dislike lies, so we will avoid them as much as possible. Though, while a lie of omission is still a lie, it's preferable to an all out falsehood.”  
She nodded softly, then looked between her mug and Takeshi's hand, then after a few moments of hesitation he held it out for him so he could add some blood.  
“I don't want to get sick.”  
He just nodded and added the drop, she didn't really need an additional dose, but since she willingly accepted receiving one he would give her one, it wouldn't change anything.

“How come Lissa and Logan aren't taking any?”  
Amber had proven to be very observant, no doubt from living on the streets were it was a necessary trait to survive.  
“Lissa is a bit like me so she doesn't need it and Logan isn't entirely human either so he's not at risk of getting sick.”  
“Okay.”  
There was a few moments of silence as her thoughts milled around, then she looked back up at him.  
“What **are** you?”  
Takeshi just smiled at the questions.  
“Well, I don't entirely know what I am. But I can do some interesting things, like shape-shifting.”  
There was a shimmer through his aura, and moments later his human form was replaced with that of the peregrine falcon, he opted for that form since they had noticed that Amber was scared of dogs.  
“Wow...”  
“He can become other things too, like a big black wolf. Do you think you could handle him showing you that without getting scared?”  
Emelie quickly explained to Amber while Takeshi allowed her to stroke his feathers.  
“I think so, it's still just him, isn't it?”  
“Mostly, he does get some wolf instincts and behaviors, like licking you face, smelling you, and wagging his tail.”  
“I guess that's okay...”  
“Okay, step back a bit to give him room, he's a really big wolf.”  
Amber quickly scooted back against Emelie to give Takeshi space to shift, and after a few moments there was a large wolf in front of her.

He didn't try to move closer, instead he lowered himself to the floor and rolled over on his back while allowing his tail to wag in a rather energetic manner, inviting her to come closer.  
“I do believe someone is begging for a belly-rub.”  
Emelie's light teasing made him voice a low, huffing, bark before letting his tongue loll out the side of his maw, which he knew made him look rather silly, but hopefully it would encourage Amber to come closer.  
The twins didn't need any coaxing though as the quickly scooted closer when they noticed he had shifted.  
“Beastie?”  
 _“Nah, just me. I might let him out to play a bit later if it seems like Amber can handle it.”  
_ The twins instantly huffed in disappointment, but they didn't stop scratching his ears.  
“What do mean _Beastie_?”  
Amber was looking slightly confused and the twins quickly went to explain.  
“Sometimes when Daddy becomes a wolf he will let Beastie come out to play.”  
“Who's Beastie?”  
“Umm...”  
“Daddy usually calls it his hitchhiker. It's like a different person inside him, but like animal like, and sometime Daddy let's it come out to play. It's really nice.”  
Maria's attempt to explain the Beast had Takeshi smiling inside, and the Beast was huffing and wagging its tail, begging to come out to play.  
 _“Maybe later, Amber is scared of dogs so we need to get her past that first.”_  
The Beast was instantly mollified and slunk back to its _cage_ , not wanting to do anything that could scare her.

While they spoke Amber slowly moved closer and her aura was shivering with a mix of curiosity and fear, but the fear was gradually fading as she watched the way the twins crawled all over Takeshi without him complaining in any way.  
“Here, scratch his ear like this, he really likes that.”  
He couldn't help grumbling slightly at Maria's words, but she was right though, the way she tweaked and scratched his ear felt good and pulled at his instincts.  
When Amber carefully scratched behind his other ear he moved slightly so he could bump his head against her hand which soon had her laughing, and scratching him more boldly.  
It didn't take long before she found the _magic spot_ , a spot behind his ear that tickled in the most frustrating way, and made his leg twitch with the urge to scratch the sensation away, which of course only made the girls laugh and scratch it more.  
He allowed it without complaint though as it helped Amber relax and overcome her fear, though, he had no doubt coming across a random dog in the street would have her hiding the same way as before.

Once Amber was comfortable with him Takeshi allowed the Beast to rise for a bit to see how it would take to their new charge, and as expected it instantly accepted her as a new member of its unofficial pack.  
“See, Beastie is nice too.”  
The twins were eagerly helping Amber communicate with the Beast and Takeshi allowed it to play around for about half an hour before retaking control and returning to his human form.  
“Okay girls, time to calm down a bit so Manda can rest, even with my blood it will take a while for her to recover.”  
“Oh, sorry.”  
All three instantly turned to Amanda and apologized.  
“Don't worry. I'm not feeling **that** bad. Not yet at least and thanks to Take I probably won't.”  
It wasn't the first time he had treated one of the girls with such methods so they knew that unless he gave them a pretty big dose it would usually take about a day for the symptoms to clear.

The Mother had intentionally removed a lot of the more dangerous pathogens from the island to make it safer for the girls to explore, the downside to that was that their lack of exposure made them more susceptible while they were traveling.  
So far though they had never picked up anything more serious on their travels, just the occasional flu virus or bug, Takeshi's acute senses allowed him to sense if the food and water was safe for them which eliminated a lot of the risk.  
They did however get the occasional flare up of things like Strep infections, like the tonsillitis that Manda was currently showing symptoms of, at the island, bacteria that was part of the normal human flora, and occasionally pathogens hitchhiked with the deliveries.  
Usually Takeshi would allow the infections to run their course, just treating the girls with home remedies aimed at decreasing their discomfort and improving their bodies ability to fend of the infection as that would ultimately strengthen their ability to recognize and fight infections.  
With 10 children living in close quarters various infections could make the rounds pretty fast, fortunately the blessing made Melissa immune to human pathogens, meaning there was one more person who could help care for the others.  
Sometimes things did get a bit more serious though, or they got sick at a more inconvenient time, such as Amanda's current sickness, and in those occasions he treated them with his blood to clear it up fast.

There was a distinct sense of relief in the group as Amber happily accepted everything about them, Takeshi hadn't expected any issues though, children tended to be resilient and accepting.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Dawn Raid_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Can I stay? Please?”  
Amanda's soft begging made the others share a quick look before Takeshi nodded softly.  
“Of course sweetie.”  
Emelie had just sent the girls to bed and Melissa had excused herself as her period made her a bit moody, leaving only the four of them watching the news reports.  
“Manda, do you think you will be okay with us talking about what really happened during our raid today?”  
“Yeah, I think so. Just, maybe, warn me if there's some really bad part?”  
“Okay, we will.”  
Takeshi had already decided not to mention any details about the torture-chamber, he would tell Emelie if she asked, but he would do so using her familiar.  
Together Takeshi and Knight told Emelie and Amanda about what had happened, about how Takeshi's instincts had been aroused by their actions, about how it had made him feel and after some consideration Takeshi decided it was probably for the best that Amanda was there listening to it.

“We had just taken out a group of guards when I felt a large caliber bullet shatter against my armor and for a moment the force knocked me off balance.”  
“What happened?”  
Amanda was on the edge of her seat, hanging on their every word, treating the story like a action packed campfire story.  
“A sniper.”  
Takeshi lowered his voice slightly, playing the role of the storyteller, drawing her in and spellbinding her with his words much to Emelie's amusement.  
“I don't think she was with the gang though, it doesn't fit somehow.”  
“She?”  
“Mhm, it was a woman, pretty young too. I think she's about the same age as Dan.”  
“What happened to her?”  
Takeshi could tell that Amanda was a bit worried about what the answer would be, it would seem she too felt as if something was off about the woman, that she didn't deserve to die.  
“My steed captured her and is keeping her magically sedated in a sort of suspended animation within it's pocket realm.”  
Knight quickly spoke up, explaining how they had captured the sniper.  
“So you can question her? Find out why she tried to kill Take?”  
“Mhm.”  
“Good!”

“They were keeping a lot of drugs and weapons in that warehouse, they obviously weren't worried about the police coming after them.”  
“So it would be a safe bet that they have inside people?”  
“Yeah, pretty high up in the food chain too.”  
“Are you going to investigate that?”  
“Not personally, not now at least. But I am going to ask Amarok to set a few of his contacts on it.”  
“Who not do it yourself?”  
Amanda's question had merit, usually he wouldn't put others to do things he could do himself.  
“Because I want to focus on you and the others. Focus on preparing for our plans to find Em's father.”  
“Oh, okay...”  
Moments later she broke down into a coughing fit that made Takeshi smile and tut at her while offering her a glass of water.  
“Don't forget you are supposed to be resting.”

When he mentioned the torture-chamber Emelie and Amanda both moved in closer hugging and nuzzling Takeshi and Knight, trying to soothe their obvious distaste for what they had found, and they were both happy that no further questions were asked, both females accepting their blanket description of _Really bad_.  
As he continued to tell them about how he had found Amber's mother, the condition she had been in, and their conversation, they curled even closer to him, soothing his pain, telling him he did the right thing.  
“We will help you protect her.”  
Emelie's voice was sharp with determination and Amanda nodded silently, carefully sipping on a cup of hot ginger juice, trying not to have another coughing fit.  
“I know you will sweetie.”  
Takeshi pulled Emelie into a tight hug before reaching out toward Amanda and brushing his hand against the side of her face which made her blush brilliantly, then go into another coughing fit.  
“Easy there Manda, deep slow breaths.”  
Takeshi gently coaxed her into relaxing and taking a deep breath so that she could cough properly while he gently tapped her back to help her dislodge the phlegm.  
“Better?”  
“Mhm...”  
As the evening turned to night Takeshi and Knight were both grateful for Amanda's presence as it kept the mood light and caring for her helped chase away the darkness from Takeshi's mind.

The following morning Amanda was feeling better, though she was still coughing and sniffling so she was more than happy to just stay at the hotel curled up in the couch while Emelie took Knight, Amber and the twins out shopping some more.  
Takeshi opted to stay and keep watching for news updates and continuing Amanda's lessons about the blessing.  
“You have made up your mind, haven't you?”  
“Yeah. I'm really, really, scared, but I really want this. It feels right somehow.”  
She looked at him in silence for a long time, clearly trying to gather he thoughts and figure out how to say something.  
“I don't know why, but it feels like it's really important that I do this.”  
Takeshi listened in silence to the sheer desperation in her words.  
“Feels like I'll die if I don't...”  
Her last words gave him pause as he could feel how utterly convinced she was that it was true.  
“That feeling is probably the Fates at work. Trying to make sure we act in whatever way is needed to suit their ends.”  
He gently began soothing her fear, while silently cursing the meddling entities and a few minutes later she was deep asleep, head resting in his lap.

He kept running his claws through her hair while watching the latest news broadcast, the events of the previous day was still top news and it seemed the police had settled on the belief that it had been an attack by professional mercenaries hired by a competing faction in order to steal the gang's territory.  
The theory was supported by the fact that all the drugs and weapons was missing, the gang members dead, and the presence of a stealth aircraft and the belief that some sort of code had been spoken.  
There were also a lot of promises about appointing a task-force to look into who might be behind it but Takeshi suspected it wouldn't be a very thorough one as any proper investigation would start to unravel the obvious connection to dirty cops and politicians.  
It suited Takeshi just fine though, once it was done those behind it would feel safe in their seats, making them vulnerable to Amarok and his well oiled information network, during his own time as the _Wolf_ Takeshi had grown to be very impressed with how effective they could be.

He was slightly surprised though when they put on a playback of Knight's reply over the radio, asking if anyone could recognize it as a language or familiar code.  
He couldn't help entertaining the wish of being a fly on the wall for that call, and explanation.  
“What's so funny?”  
Apparently he hadn't been entirely successful at keeping his amusement to himself as Amanda stirred and mumbled while slowly sitting back up.  
“Oh, they are playing Logan's greeting, asking the public for any information about what he said.”  
“Oh... Guess they won't have much luck with that huh?”  
“Doubtful, anyone who understands it would have no reason to tell them. And even if they did feel like doing it for instance for a reward, how would they explain it?”  
“Let me guess, you were chuckling about wanting to listen in to that conversation?”  
“Indeed.”

Her accurate deduction triggered an instant flare of pride and the Beast stirred within, telling him that being observant of one's alpha was an important trait for a good beta, it had been very vocal about Amanda being a good choice for the position of the female beta since the claiming of Knight as the male beta.  
It wanted to balance the pack, but Melissa was unsuitable to be a beta, and the Beast had no desire to claim her for the pack as such, Amanda was better suited and it was making it quite clear that it wanted her for the pack, but Takeshi was hesitant, knowing that she might not want to stay with them.

“When will be heading back?”  
“Tomorrow.”  
“Okay.”  
Moments later she was dozing of again, this time leaning against his shoulder.

  
  


 

 

 


	3. Amanda's Blessing

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Amanda's Blessing_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Well hello there, who do we have here?”  
Kasumi knelt down and held her arms out toward Amber with a soft smile while waiting for the girl to gather her courage.  
“I'm Amber. Who are you?”  
She was still hiding behind Takeshi and Emelie, but she gradually moved forward.  
“I'm Kasumi, but you can call me Sumi-chan.”  
“Take? Em?”  
“It's okay Amber. Sumi-ane is my big sister of sorts.”  
Kasumi's grumbled complaints about him acknowledging that she was older paired with Amber's utter confusion had everyone snickering while Takeshi explained their relationship.  
“So she's a good person?”  
“Mhm, she's a very good person.”  
With Takeshi's seal of approval Amber slowly approached Kasumi and stopped just out of reach for her open arms and just stared at her.  
The entire island seemed to be holding its breath, then everything shattered as Amber threw herself into the open arms with a strangled cry.

“It's okay little one, you cry all you want.”  
Kasumi gently hummed and soothed Amber and slowly the heart-wrenching cries settled down into sobs mixed with hiccups and soft babbling as Amber finally allowed herself to grieve.  
Takeshi and the others took the time to greet everyone and make sure everything they had bought was moved to the house, once Amber was calm she would be brought to get her familiar.  
 _“How is she doing?”_  
Takeshi reached out for Kasumi over the bond and it took a few moments before she responded.  
 _“She is calmer now.”  
“You think she is ready for the Sanctuary and her familiar?”  
“I think so, but she will crash again.”  
“I have no doubt she will. Do you want to stay with her for that?”  
”If she wants me to I will be there.”  
“Thanks.”_  
With the silent conversation done Takeshi gently knocked at the support pillar of the small beach gazebo where Kasumi and Amber had retreated.

“Amber, would you like to come see the Sanctuary and get a familiar of your own?”  
“Really?”  
“Of course, how else are you supposed to be able to play with _Beastie_ again?”  
“Yes!!”  
She immediately bounced up and ran over to Takeshi which made Kasumi smile and shake her head.  
“I'll go help the girls with food, do you want me to send Em over?”  
“What do you say Amber, do you want Em to come as well? She is really good at making familiars.”  
“Okay!”  
The process was easy enough and Takeshi could have done it fine himself, but Emelie seemed to have a special affinity for the Sanctuary creatures, and it would probably be a good idea if she added her nightmare aspect to it as well.  
With everything Amber had been through she probably had some pretty bad nightmares from time to time, also, Emelie was highly skilled at making her familiar change to suit her needs, and she was good at teaching others how to do that.

“Wow! It's so pretty here!”  
“Mhm, it's an amazing place.”  
They spent a good hour watching Amber explore the sanctuary with an endless stream of Ohs and Ahs at the wonders of the place before she was able to focus on getting her familiar.  
“Now, we need to take a bit of your blood so that the familiar becomes a part of you, but don't worry, Take's claws are really sharp so it won't hurt much. And he will lick the cut after to make it heal.”  
“Okay.”  
There was no hint of hesitation as she held out her hand for him and she didn't flinch when his claw cut her.  
“Okay that's enough.”  
A quick lick later the wound was gone, and Takeshi found himself acutely aware of Amber's condition courtesy of his new vampiric abilities.  
“Now what?”  
“Now we wait for the pitcher to open.”  
“Okay!”

It didn't take long for the pitcher to open and Amber was eagerly waiting to put her hand in.  
“Now remember, your familiar might be something that looks scary, but it can't hurt you.”  
“I remember.”  
There was a look of utter concentration on her face as she put her hand, and most of her arm, into the large pitcher.  
“Oh, I felt something move.”  
The instant brilliant smile made Takeshi and Emelie smile as well as Amber tried to coax her familiar into her hand.  
“I can feel legs. Lots of legs...”  
Moments later her familiar introduced itself in a flurry of movement which actually made Emelie yelp.  
“Yikes! That is one big bug!”  
“Cool!”  
Takeshi couldn't help smiling at Emelie's small step back as the familiar appeared, the giant centipede was no doubt the stuff of many nightmares.  
He estimated it had to be about 40 to 45 centimeters long, not counting the long antennae and the odd, feather like, terminal legs that placed it, visually at least, in the alipes genus.  
“It's beautiful...”  
Amber was completely taken with the thing, and Takeshi agreed it was a spectacular creature, black obsidian body broken up by cracks and spots of red, orange and yellow made it look like some sort of lava creature, and the bright yellow and orange of the legs created an interesting contrast.

“Em, are you okay? You're looking a bit pale.”  
“I... I'll be fine. I just... I never liked centipedes much. Those huge, scary looking, forcipules and the way they can move really fast... I was really scared of them as a kid after a guy in class showed everyone this video of one eating a bird.”  
Takeshi quickly gave her a hug and apologized for teasing her.  
“I'm sorry, I didn't know.”  
Before Emelie could answer they both broke out into smiles as Amber started scolding her familiar, telling it to be nice and not skitter around so fast around Emelie so it didn't scare her.  
“Thank you sweetie. And don't worry, I'll get used to having it around.”  
Takeshi could hear how she took a few breaths to steel herself, then she slowly reached out toward the familiar, she instantly froze though when the forcipules flicked slightly, which instantly earned the creature another scolding from Amber.  
Under Amber's subconscious control the centipede lowered it's head and Emelie carefully reached out and brushed her finger down it's back.

“Amber, you will need to learn to change your familiar so that it can hide when needed. Like how mine looks like a headband right now.”  
The way amber's eye's widened made it quite clear she had actually believed that it was just a snake shaped headband.  
Takeshi sat back and watched Emelie teach Amber about controlling her familiar, but they were having some issues with altering its form.  
Emelie was trying to teach her to make it smaller so she could wear it like an armband or similar piece of jewelry but Amber couldn't make it shrink.  
“Why isn't it working?!”  
The young girl was growing increasingly distraught, and Emelie was running out of ideas when Takeshi got an idea what might be wrong.  
“Amber, I think I may know what the problem is.”  
“What?”  
“You don't really want it to be any smaller, do you?”  
Emelie instantly voiced a _Duh_ , sigh and Amber looked thoughtful for a moment before agreeing that she didn't.  
“How about we try something different?”  
When Amber nodded he carefully nudged the familiar until it curled around her waist instead.  
“I can make you a nice belt for it to hold on to so you don't get pricked by all those feet.”  
“I think I'd like that, it has sharp feet...”

With a solution for a convenient way for her to carry her familiar they headed back to the house and were instantly swarmed by the other girls who wanted to meet her familiar.  
“Now that's a serious familiar.”  
Dan obviously liked the large creature, which instantly earned him points with Amber, but it quickly became obvious that Kasumi had stolen the spot as Amber's favorite human.

“Hello Amber, I'm Eriko.”  
Eriko waited for the buzz over the familiar to settle a bit before walking up to Amber and introducing herself properly.  
“Hi...”  
“Did Take explain to you how I help protect the girls here?”  
“Mhm, he told me you made a magic trinket for them to help them know if someone is trying to trick them.”  
“That's right. And since you are under his and Em's protection I would like you to have one as well. But since I'm a kitsune I don't help for free.”  
“So what do I have to pay?”  
“You have to promise you will become one with the world.”  
“I don't know, I don't understand...”  
Eriko gave Takeshi a quick glance so he intervened.  
“Don't worry, she just wants you to learn how to live without damaging the world needlessly.”  
“Oh, you mean things like don't litter or waste food?”  
“That's right.”  
“Okay. I think I can do that.”  
“I know you can. I will make sure to teach you everything you need.”

After a quick exchange of promises Amber joined the others, happily jumping right into the games.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Amanda's Blessing_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

With dinner out of the way the topic instantly shifted to the promised tree and its decorations.

“Have you managed to agree on a style for the tree?”  
“Yeah, we have. We want a big tree covered in snow, icicles and twinkling stars.”  
Carol quickly handed Takeshi one of the flex tabs and he found that it was filled with images of Christmas-trees covered in snow, icicles and silvery lametta tinsel.  
“Indeed, those look really nice. Is that all you want, or do you want some regular decorations as well?”  
“We want crystal ornaments in red and gold. Like these.”  
Carol nodded to Alice and Julia who quickly handed Takeshi a big box with various decorations created from the crystal clay.  
A quick look revealed a selection of icicles, 3 dimensional snowflakes and crystal poinsettias, there were also crystal baubles in various frost and snow themes.  
“Beautiful work. How about a topper?”  
“We have just the thing.”  
There was a clearly impish tone to their voices as they brought out another box and placed it on the table

The moment Takeshi looked in the box he broke down laughing which instantly had Emelie looking over his shoulder, only to break down as well.  
The topper they had created was him, in his wolf form with Emelie wearing a rather naughty Santa-costume on his back.  
“Are you sure this is the topper you want?”  
“Mhm, it's perfect!”  
Takeshi instantly folded in the face of their utter agreement and with a nod to Emelie they started working on creating the tree they wanted.  
“Amber, is there any special ornament you want to add?”  
While Takeshi added power to make the tree grow Emelie turned to Amber who was sitting in silence at the side.  
“I don't know... I never had a Christmas-tree before.”  
There was a long silence, then she seemed to think of something.  
“Can you make a purple rose, a dark one, almost black?”  
“Of course, any special reason you want a purple rose?”  
“My mom had a purple rose tattoo.”  
“I see. How about you focus on the memory of how it looked and focus that thought on the familiar, then it can help me make it look right.”

By the time the tree was ready Amber was holding a pair of large, glowing, purple roses, one for the tree, and one for her room.  
They had agreed though that they would wait until morning to pick a room for her, and she was more than happy to sleep in Kasumi's bed.

Christmas was every bit as hectic as expected, and the addition of Amber into the group didn't make things any less crazy.  
The young girl was fitting in nicely though and Takeshi noted that her presence seemed to soothe Kasumi who had been increasingly withdrawn lately.  
Knight had been rather puzzled by some of the oddities of modern Christmas but he quickly grew to love the eating part much to the girls amusement.  
Emelie and Dan were both delighted to find someone who shared their love for _Dopp i Grytan_ a Swedish version of Sop that was traditionally eaten at Christmas, the soft wort bread soaked in the broth from the Christmas ham was met with quite a bit of suspicion from the other girls, only the twins and Amber had even tried it.  
The twins were always curious about new foods, and Amber still had her stint with starvation too close in mind to refuse any food and they had to remind her that there was plenty of food and that she didn't have to eat something if she didn't like it, though, they all encouraged the girls to at least try everything.

The giving of the gifts was, as expected, the favorite of the younger girls while the adults were mostly amused as their gifts tended to hold a more _teasing_ quality.  
Most of Takeshi's time however had been spent with Dan, working on finding a balance in the enhanced bond, and quite a bit of time was spent soothing Dan's worries as well.  
Despite the bond, and in a way because of it, Dan became very worried whenever Takeshi left, and he was able to sense when Takeshi was fighting, he had felt the blood-lust, the darkness and he had sensed the initial spike of fear when the sniper round had hit, that brief fragment of a second before Takeshi himself knew that his armor had indeed protected him.  
Takeshi just shook his head with a smile when Dan burrowed his face against his chest and echoed Knight's words from the aftermath of the raid, begging Takeshi to promise never to scare him like that again.  
And like with Knight Takeshi promised he would try.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Amanda's Blessing_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Takeshi walked out of Dan's office after making sure everything was in order for the fireworks that were planned for New Year's Eve and now he set his aim on finding Amanda.  
He had promised her that if she still wanted the Blessing after learning what it truly meant he would grant it to her before the end of the year and now it was time to make good on that promise.  
He would bring her to the Sanctuary and probably stay there a few days to help her get used to her new senses.  
A quick flare of his aura told him that she was exactly where he had suspected, pacing outside Knight's room.  
“Manda, are you ready to get going?”  
“Yeah, just waiting for Logan to get his lazy ass dressed.”  
Takeshi just nodded and smiled at the way she was pacing in front of Knight's door, occasionally stopping to tap her foot.  
She had asked if Knight could join them when she received the Blessing and Takeshi had agreed, the fresh bond she shared with Knight would help her stay calm after the change, besides, with Knight now being his _Beta_ , it would be good for him to learn more about the process.

“Come on Logan, you should know better than to keep a lady waiting!”  
Takeshi called with a teasing tone while feeding the image of a pacing Amanda over the bond.  
“Yeah yeah! I'm coming, go bother someone else!”  
Takeshi just shook his head, Knight had been acting rather nervous about the whole thing and now he was dragging his feet a bit.  
“If you're not out of there in 5 minutes, I'll come in there and drag you out, regardless of what you're wearing, or not wearing.”  
A rustle, followed by a thump, a crash and a string of what could only be curses was heard from inside the room before the door opened to reveal a rather rumpled looking Knight.  
“Finally!”  
Amanda instantly grabbed Knight's hand and began to drag him toward the front door.  
Takeshi just grabbed his bag and followed behind them as Amanda headed toward the entrance to the Sanctuary with Knight in tow.  
Food and sleeping gear had already been brought to the annex where they had spent Knight's heat so Takeshi's bag only held a few surprises for Amanda, some games and a few extra treats.

Most of the day was spent playing games, talking and of course, teasing, all to try to calm Amanda's nerves.  
Though she had made up her mind about the Blessing she was still scared, it was a big change, and Takeshi had explained it would would hurt, not just the pain of the bite, but the change itself could be quite painful.  
Melissa had been so close to death when he changed her that she had been almost unable to feel anything and the old farmer had his mate to help him carry the pain, but Takeshi was hoping that Knight would be able to help Amanda through the part where he had to focus on changing her and would be unable to aid her much with the pain.

As evening came around they ate a light meal before Takeshi told Amanda to go into the main chamber of the Sanctuary and take a bath in the crystal pool, he had spoken to the Mother and She had made some adjustments to the energies of the pool to help calm and soothe pain and they would bring Amanda back to the pool once the change was on its way, it would also help her adapt to life in water faster.  
“Logan, when it's time I need you to focus on trying to carry as much of her pain as you can. She is determined, but scared and the pain might make her fight me. If she fights me I might end up hurting her more, because once I start it I must finish it or it could kill her.”  
“I will do what I can.”  
Knight's tone was calm and determined, but Takeshi could feel the undercurrent of worry.  
“As soon as the energy-transfer is done I will be able to help, but until then you will have to do it alone.”  
They had spoken about it before, while Takeshi taught Amanda about it, but Takeshi went through some of the details again, just to make sure.

When Amanda returned from her bath she walked over to them and sat down in Knight lap, they had agreed it would be for the best, it would make it easier for Knight to help her, and should it be needed, restrain her.  
Hopefully it wouldn't come to that, but Takeshi had explained to her why it might become necessary.  
“Are you ready Manda?”  
There was power woven into Takeshi's words but at first Amanda just nodded and he reminded her that she had to speak, he needed to hear the truth of her words before moving on.  
“I'm ready.”  
There was a slight tremble in her voice, but Takeshi could feel her absolute conviction so he stepped closer and placed his hands on her shoulders, there was a touch of pride when she instantly turned her head and bared her neck and shoulder to him.

Takeshi was just about to sink his teeth into her shoulder when she began to squirm and didn't seem to be able to sit comfortably so he stepped back to think for a moment.  
“Manda, why don't you try turning around so you are facing Logan instead?”  
“Okay.”  
After a bit of shuffling around without finding a good seat Knight picked her up and spread his knees so that he set her down on his left leg rather than over both legs and it seemed to help as she instantly shifted closer and leaned in against him, steadying herself with her hands on his shoulders.  
As Knight put his arms around her to help keep her steady Takeshi stepped in closer, effectively pinning her between their bodies, one hand on her left shoulder he made sure she would not be able to pull loose once he began.  
Once again she instantly turned her head when he leaned in and pulled away the collar of her bathrobe from her right shoulder, slipping his hand around her waist he allowed his fangs to brush against her shoulder, offering an apology for the pain he was about to cause her.

There was a sudden feeling of surprise and hesitation from Knight when Amanda shifted slightly, searching for something to distract herself with she had decided that a kiss would be the way to go.  
For a moment Takeshi thought Knight would refuse her search for distraction, but then he could feel her aura shift when Knight answered her in kind, understanding her need for distraction and Takeshi seized the moment, instantly sinking his fangs into her shoulder.  
The moment her blood washed over his fangs it reacted with the vampiric abilities he had gained and through the hot sweetness of the blood he could feel every aspect of her, he could feel her eager yearning for the change as he began to pour his power into her through the wounds.

It only took a few moments before he could feel that the change was taking effect and he withdrew his fangs and stepped back slightly so Knight could pick her up and bring her to the Sanctuary pool.  
The Mother had explained that if Amanda was resting in the waters she could help carry some of the pain of the change.  
The process seemed to work a lot faster this time, perhaps it was him getting better at it, but he suspected it was her total acceptance and the fact that she was too distracted to think of trying to resist him.

With Takeshi and Knight doing everything they could to take away the pain Amanda was able to stay calm enough to sleep, and though it was a fitful sleep and would probably not give her much rest it was enough to allow her to escape the mental pain of the change.  
 _“Is it just me or is she getting taller?”_  
Knight chose not to speak to make sure the sound would not disturb Amanda's sleep.  
 _“She is, it's hard to tell when she is curled up like this, but I'd guess about 5 to 10 centimeters taller.”_  
Takeshi showed the measures between his thumb and index-finger as Knight was still getting used to the metric system.  
 _“I think she is looking a bit older as well. Maybe I should ask the Mother about that.”_

Takeshi wasn't really worried, just curious about the changes, both Kasumi and the old farmer had become physically younger after the change, his own appearance hadn't changed, but he didn't look his age to start with.  
After making sure Knight was able to manage Amanda's pain on his own Takeshi reached out for the Mother and allowed his questions to flow freely, opening his mind to Her.  
 _ **“She is young, but her soul is old and her spirit is mature beyond her years. She is simply taking the opportunity make her body match her a bit better.”**_  
 _“As I suspected then.”_  
Takeshi could feel the Mother at the edge of his mind as he turned his attention back to Amanda and her transformation, it seemed She intended to keep close and watch the change.  
They watched as Amanda's nails turned into claws, when her hair grew longer Takeshi carefully collected it and braided it before taking one of the ties from his own braid to secure it so it wouldn't get tangled.

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Amanda's Blessing_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

Takeshi had left the pool to fetch some food when he felt Knight pull at the bond with quite a bit of urgency.  
 _“I think you better get back here, her pain is spiking pretty bad.”_  
Takeshi instantly dropped the food and hurried back to the pool, reaching out with his aura as he moved and the moment he touched her aura he could feel her pain flare.  
 _ **“It's the last stage of her transformation, it is when the primary form sets. And she is fighting the part of your power that is Wolf in order to gain a primary form that suits her better. The sea is part of her soul and she is fighting to make her body part of the sea.”**_  
 _“Is there anything we can do to help her? The longer she fights like this the more it will hurt and we can barely keep the pain contained as it is. I don't want her to hurt if it can be avoided.”_  
 _ **“We can offer her choices. Call the creatures of the pool closer, let them touch her. Maybe she will choose one of them as her form.**_  
Takeshi nodded and reached out with his aura, carefully touching each of the little creatures, asking them to come closer, to allow Amanda to feel them.  
He could feel her aura shift and reach out for them as they came closer and when they carefully brushed against her she began to relax, no longer fighting the transformation as hard and much to both his and Knight's relief her pain began to fade as well.  
They could do nothing but watch in silence as she began to shed her human form in favor of her chosen form.

“ _She is beautiful, magnificent...”_  
There was no mistaking Knight's pride and amazement and Takeshi had to agree, Amanda's chosen form was absolutely stunning.  
 _“Of all forms she could choose she chose to become a mermaid. Is this what you meant that the sea is part of her soul?”_  
Takeshi's question was directed toward the presence at the edge of his mind.  
 _ **“Yes, her soul has reclaimed a form it has carried before. Though, in a much different manner.”**_ _  
“Her soul, it was of Atlantis, wasn't it?”  
_ _ **“It was. And it still is, it still yearns for the magic of the hidden city. If she returns there she might be able to reclaim the magic she had when she was one of them, her soul still knows it.”**_  
 _“She was always supposed to go with us there, wasn't she?”  
_ _ **“Yes, such is her fate. Throughout the infinite refraction of time, the Fates keeps some things the same. For Amanda it was either death at the hands of the corrupt, or be saved by you and be set on the path to return to Atlantis.”  
**_ _“Will she stay in Atlantis? Will we lose her to the magic her soul yearns for?”  
_ _ **“That, my Chosen, will be up to the choices you all make. Nothing has been spoken of it by the Fates”**_ **  
**With those words the Mother withdrew again, but remained at the edges of Takeshi's mind, watching, waiting.

Takeshi watched with avid curiosity as the Mark of the Blessing changed, the small dragon fading from her shoulder and instead a pattern of black scales formed across her torso and down her tail, mirroring the way his own tattoo spread across his back and wrapped around his leg, and seeing her intentionally carry **his** mark so visibly filled him with a strange pride.  
 _ **“You should take pride in her, only the truly powerful are able to take hybrid forms.”**_ _  
“Really? But every one of the Blessed that I have met that have more than one form have been able to partially transform.”_  
Takeshi was confused by the Mother's words.  
 _ **“Those are not hybrid forms, merely a mix of the birth-form and a secondary form. Even Melissa, though fairly strong, can only shift into one form at a time. Those mixed forms are just a shift paused partway through the transformation.”**_ _  
“Then what is a hybrid form?”_  
 _ **“It is the combination of traits from several forms at once, like how you are able to combine your wolf form with the eyes and claws of the dragon. If you were not strong enough to use hybrid forms you would have to choose, wolf or dragon, not both.”  
**_ Takeshi began to grasp just what the Mother meant by hybrid, but he still had to confirm he was right, there was no room for misunderstandings or assumptions.

“ _The bio-luminescence is from one species, the shape of her tail another, her fins carry traits from several species. The spines seem to be lionfish.”_  
At the mention of the spined fins along Amanda's lower arms Takeshi had to pause for a moment to stop Knight from touching the potentially venomous spikes.  
 _“Don't, if those really are from a lionfish they can carry some pretty nasty venom, possibly quite deadly since it wouldn't be that of a normal one.”  
_ _ **“Her venom is indeed quite deadly, though, the two of you will be able to withstand it. Its potency is controlled by her intent and as long as she has no intent of harming you it will merely be painful, if you upset her enough for her to actually want to harm you it could make you quite sick for a while.”  
**_ Knight instantly pulled his hand back and returned to cradling Amanda's head so that her nose and mouth remained above the surface while keeping her gills below it, they were not sure how much control she had over her breathing so the chose to play it safe. _ **  
**_ _“All of those species can be found within the pool, but her scales, they are dragon scales. How is she able to do that?”  
_ _ **“You have dragon in your blood, in your power. The only reason your primary form is mostly wolf is because the wolf was the only form Amarok's blood was able to carry. And when my power gave life to the shadow fragment within you it also latched on to the residue of Amarok's blood. But it is all in your mind, you are a perfect hybrid, you have no primary form.”**_ _  
“So Amanda was able to latch on to the part of my power that is dragon, and use it to make her own form stronger?”  
_ _ **“Yes. As I said, she is strong and clever, you should take great pride her. Her soul and spirit is strong, but your power is what has made it possible for her to reclaim her soul's original form, and even make it stronger.”  
**_ When the presence of the Mother withdrew again Takeshi knew She would not return until they were ready to leave, unless called for.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Amanda's Blessing_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Takeshi was resting at the small beach when Amanda began to stir, he wasn't feeling any drain but Knight had been rather stubborn about it so he had agreed just to stop the nagging.  
 _“Alpha, I think she is waking.”_  
Knight's silent words were accompanied by a careful nudge against Takeshi's aura in case he was sleeping.  
 _“Indeed she is.”_  
Takeshi quickly joined them in the water, but took care not to disturb the water too much, chances were that Amanda's current form was sensitive to movements of the water and it could startle her or even hurt her if he disturbed the water to much.

“Take?”  
Amanda instantly winced at the sound of her own voice and Takeshi found himself flinching slightly at the strange harmonies it carried, her voice was obviously adapted to carry well underwater, but there was something else in it, a strange power.  
Perhaps there was some truth behind the legends of mermaids as sirens of the sea, able to sing men to their doom.  
 _“Easy, remember what I told you about your senses being stronger. Reach within, find the voice of your mind. Just like how you speak to your familiar.”  
_ Noticing that she was about to look around Takeshi quickly put his hand over her eyes. _  
“Keep your eyes closed for now, I will ask the Mother to dim the light.”_  
The Mother was obviously listening in because the glow from the large tube growths in the ceiling of the cavernous room instantly dimmed as the drop shaped bulbs withdrew into their tubes, leaving only the softer glow of the various creatures and plants.  
 _“Okay, you can open your eyes now, but do it slowly, your new form is well adapted to low light conditions so even this dimmed light might hurt.”  
“New form? Didn't I become like you, a wolf?”_  
She was still using her familiar but Takeshi was sure she would find her own _voice_ soon enough.

“ _No, you were able to become something entirely different, something quite amazing.”_  
With her curiosity piqued she quickly opened her eyes and after a initial wince at the light a third eyelid slid across her eyes, protecting it from the light.  
The translucent white membrane gave her eyes a pearlescent quality that made Takeshi wonder if it had been eyes like those that had caused the Larimar stone to be called the Atlantis Stone.  
They watched in silence as Amanda inspected her webbed hands, a closer inspection of her clawed fingertips revealed that pressure against the pad of her finger released a venom of some sort through the claws and after quite a bit of convincing she allowed Takeshi to pierce his own fingertip with one of her claws to test its effects.  
The venom quickly revealed itself to be paralytic and quite potent as the small prick caused Takeshi's entire arm to go numb, but his own enhanced physiology quickly began to counteract it and he was sure that with a few more exposures he would be able to build an immunity.

“Logan, would you just hold on to my tail, it keeps slipping away when I try to look!”  
Amanda's voice was a frustrated hiss as she tried to twist herself around so she could look at the back of her tail, but without anything to wrap it around it kept twisting along with her torso.  
“I like these black scales, they look kinda like your tattoo.”  
She traced her claws along the black scales on Takeshi's leg as she spoke and after a few moments he found himself forced to remove her hand and the hurt look on her face had him explaining why.  
“My tattoo's are rather, _sensitive_ , especially when I am not hiding the scales.”  
It took a few moments, but when the implications of his words fully registered she blushed a bright crimson.  
“Don't worry, you didn't know. Just try to remember it in the future, especially now that you have claws.”  
Takeshi couldn't resist dragging a claw along the pattern of black scales on Amanda's back, starting at her shoulder where his fangs had marked her skin.  
He was curious to see if her pattern of scales had a similar sensitivity as his own, her gasp and the flare of her fins told him that it did indeed share that trait.  
“Okay, point taken. I won't do that again.”  
The embarrassed squeak made Knight laugh and tease her, something that earned him a slap, and a hefty dose of the paralytic venom.

“Oh no! Logan I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!”  
Amanda was frantically apologizing while using her tail to keep Knight's head above the water as his body rapidly went numb.  
“Don't worry, the Mother explained that your venom won't actually harm us unless you want it to.”  
Takeshi chuckled slightly at the scene in front of him.  
“He can still drown you know!”  
Takeshi wasn't worried, but since Amanda was beating herself up over what had happened he moved closer and began to clean out the venom from the wounds, using the healing properties of his saliva, and the fact that his body was somewhat familiar with the venom, to purge it from Knight's body.

Knight's strong reaction to the rather intimate treatment however, had Amanda breaking down in pearls of laughter.  
“Really? And you thought you were in any position to tease me?!”  
She flicked her tail at Knight's rather obvious erection which actually made him blush slightly before countering with a reminder that he knew what kind of _pleasures_ Takeshi was able to bestow on a _partner,_ something that was rather effective at silencing her.  
Takeshi just shook his head at their antics before giving Knight's ear a sharp nip, reminding him to _play nice_ and not tease Amanda too badly, the action, of course, made Amanda laugh again and this time they all joined in.  
The joking around and teasing did have one major benefit, it made Amanda relax, and when she relaxed it allowed her instincts to surface and get her senses under control instead of her getting stressed from trying to control them.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Amanda's Blessing_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

After letting Amanda sleep for a few more hours they shared a light meal before preparing to work on Amanda's transformations, she needed to be able to retake her human form so she could leave the pool.

“Close your eyes, focus on your inner eye, on seeing yourself as human. The feeling of sand, or grass between your toes, of pulling your fingers through your hair without claws or webbing.”  
“Okay.”  
Takeshi smiled as he watched her try to retake her human form, but all she managed was to slightly change the shape of her tail-fin.  
“Don't worry, we have a few days left before the New Year's party.”  
Yet another failed attempt has Amanda hissing and thrashing in the pool and Takeshi could feel a hint of panic creeping across her aura.  
“Don't worry, if you haven't figured it out by then we could always carry you to the lagoon and have the party at the beach.”

The promise that she would not be stuck in the Sanctuary or miss the party seemed to help her relax but she was still agitated and her constant twisting and thrashing showed that she was feeling trapped in the small body of water.  
It was quite understandable though, under normal conditions a pool of water so small would not be able to maintain sufficient oxygen for an aquatic creature of her size, and her instincts were rebelling.  
The Sanctuary pool was quite different though and could easily sustain her even if she was not able to breathe normally by keeping her head above water.  
In the end it was the Mother that was able to help her as she taught her whale-songs, Amanda was able to mimic the echolocation and whistles of a dolphin, and by weaving the whistles and and clicks together an illusion of open space was created that allowed her to relax.  
Takeshi recalled that the matriarch of the dolphin pod had tried to teach him similar songs but he hadn't been comfortable enough in his borrowed form to truly learn, but seeing Amanda using them made him determined to learn himself.

Knight kept watch while she slept so that Takeshi could rest as well, when she was awake Takeshi would be focused on helping her with her transformations, and one part of that would be him showing her a range of aquatic transformations, hoping that feeling how his energies shifted as he did would give her a feeling for what was needed.  
It was however rather taxing for Takeshi, due to the small size of the pool he had to put a lot of focus into making his forms smaller than usual, even smaller than what was normal for the species.

In the end Amanda and Knight got to watch as Takeshi had another set of seals added to the pattern he was already carrying.  
Amanda watched with wide eyes when the dragon appeared in front of them and Takeshi could feel her concern when Kiryu used her sharp claws to cut a pattern of intricate runes into his skin and infuse them with a mix of her blood and the black flames of her magic.  
But when the Ryujin began to sing Dragon-magic a second voice joined in, it would seem Amanda hadn't only gained the scales of a dragon, but the ability to wield their magic, and now her haunting voice added an additional layer, a slightly different aspect that greatly increased the potency of the seals.  
“You have amazing instincts little one. You sing well.”  
“Thanks...”  
“If you wish I would be happy to teach you our language, teach you the first names, names, that when sung, allows you control.”  
Dragon magic was surprisingly simple in its essence, by knowing the true name of a thing, the first name, the thing could be controlled and when sung through dragon song it could be altered to the singers will.  
“I... I think I would like that.”  
“It's settled then, I will teach you our magic little whelp.”  
Amanda glared slightly at the dragon for calling her a whelp, but Takeshi quickly explained that it was a term of affection and acceptance.

It wasn't until her 3rd day that Amanda was able to return to her human form and it brought forth a whole new set of issues.  
“Where did the mark go?”  
Her voice was frantic when she realized she could no longer see a pattern of black curl down her body.  
“It's on your shoulder, just like Lissa's.”  
Quickly looking at her reflection in the water Amanda calmed slightly, but she still complained that she liked the pattern of scales better.  
“Don't worry, I'm sure you will be able to bring out the piece of what is _Dragon_ that allows you to form the pattern of scales if you just practice. Just like how I can hide my own scales when needed.”

The next worry came when she went to the bag that contained her clothes and realized that none of her clothes would fit her anymore.  
“I promise, no one will complain if you run around in the nude.”  
Knight's teasing earned him another clawed slap, but this time she was able to withhold the venom.  
“If you don't mind wearing a kimono for a while I'm sure Eriko will let you borrow some of her clothes until we can go shopping for some new ones for you. Maybe go to Ginza where a woman in kimono is a common sight?”  
Amanda hesitated for a moment before agreeing to Takeshi's suggestion and he quickly sought out Eriko's mind to let her know about the situation.  
While they waited for Eriko to arrive with some clothes they watched Amanda practice her shifts in the pool and she didn't seem to be bothered by her nudity while she was in her new form.  
Takeshi also had her try a few land based forms as well to test her control, and using a towel they tested her ability to bring items into her shift which she quickly got a handle on.

“Oh my, you are absolutely stunning!”  
Eriko's rather loud exclamation made Amanda flinch slightly and Eriko immediately apologized and lowered her voice.  
“Kage, you should have told me she had grown into such a beauty! This kimono won't do her justice.”  
Eriko scolded as she carefully inspected Amanda's new form before asking her to shift and come join her so she could help her put on the simple kimono, but Takeshi found himself unable to agree as Amanda looked absolutely amazing and Knight was quick to agree, and voice his opinion.  
“Manda, don't listen to that old fox, you look amazing in that!”  
Amanda blushed slightly at the attention and when Eriko grabbed her chest and began pulling at the kimono to show of more cleavage she had enough and a partial shift later she chased the laughing fox out of the Sanctuary.

Once she was satisfied that Eriko wasn't coming back she returned to the side of the pool where Knight had begun piling up various fruits that he had picked from the annex.  
“Awesome! I'm starving!”  
Takeshi watched her eat and after a while Knight stopped her which spiked Takeshi's curiosity  
“Manda, when you eat, do you get very hungry, very fast again?”  
The answering blush revealed that Knight was correct, but he still insisted that she answer him.  
“Yeah, kinda. Why?”  
“It's your new physiology, you are more purely predator now so you need to change your diet slightly, a bit less of things like vegetables and grains, fruit and such, and more meat and fish instead. Especially raw meats or fish.”  
“Okay...”

She sounded far from convinced and Knight seemed intent on giving her a bit of a demonstration.  
“ _Alpha_ , care to contribute with a donation?”  
He held out one of the crystal cups they had been using and when Takeshi simply cut his hand and allowed his blood to flow into it there was a rather loud squeak from Amanda, but when Knight added his own blood to it they both noticed a slightly glazed look in her eyes as she discreetly sniffed the air.  
“Here, try this.”  
“But that's blood! Human blood...”  
“And demon blood. But you can tell can't you? The scent draws you in.”  
When he offered the cup again she only hesitated a moment before grabbing it and emptying it in a single sweep, but beneath her eagerness they could feel the taint of shame.  
“There is no reason for shame. We are what we are and we need what we need. As long as you mind your diet you won't notice it much, but if you neglect it, or get injured or weakened you might notice a craving for blood, especially blood with power in it.”  
“So you, Take, Em, Sumi-chan or Eriko?”  
“Yes, and if you start to feel those craving, just let us know and we will help you.”  
When Knight was done speaking Takeshi decided to add a small correction regarding Kasumi's blood.  
“Sumi-ane's power is slightly different, you probably won't feel drawn to it.”

After a few minutes Amanda's hunger seemed to still and she turned to Knight and thanked him.  
“But, Logan. How did you know blood would help?”  
“You are not the first young vampiric I have met, the insatiable hunger is a common sign when a vampiric comes of age. I couldn't be sure that was the problem, but it was easy to test.”  
“How come I'm some kind of vampire?”  
This time Knight didn't have any answers for her and Takeshi stepped in instead.  
“It doesn't mean you are an actual vampire as such, many demonic species are vampiric, Em for instance, succubus and their male counterpart the incubus feed of sexual energy, or if they can't find enough of that, pure life force.”  
Takeshi took a short pause to consider his words.  
“As for how, there are two possibilities. The first is that the species that you soul has tried to reform you into might be naturally vampiric. The second possibility is that you might have picked it up from me since I have recently acquired vampiric abilities, perhaps you instinctively took on those traits since they do grant some unique benefits.”  
“Okay, any downsides I should know about? Like I won't suddenly hate garlic, or get a serious tan problem?”  
“Don't worry, other than the occasional desire to bite someone when you feel weak there are no real drawbacks. There is some truth to the garlic part though, excessive consumption of some food or spices can make people smell kinda funky to vampirics.”  
They continued to explain to her about the vampiric code, to never take blood from someone without permission unless it was an enemy, but they both told her that should she ever find herself in a desperate situation she was welcome to take their blood without asking first.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Amanda's Blessing_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“So, are you ready to head back?”  
Takeshi gently prodded the half asleep Amanda to see if she was feeling ready to leave the sanctuary and rejoin the others.  
“Well, yes. But... Could we stay a little longer?”  
“We can, but I should warn you, it can take a very long time to learn to change how you look, your appearance as a human is deeply rooted in your spirit. It took me years to learn to alter my appearance.”  
Amanda was having some issues with her new looks, not only was she a lot taller, she also looked a good deal older, she had gone from the 171cm tall 15 year old girl to looking like a 25 year old woman, and at 180cm she was now quite tall for a woman, which added it's own issues as she was slightly off balance.  
The Mother had explained that Amanda's body had changed to make her physical maturity match her spiritual and mental maturity, but it was all new to her and she found it slightly unsettling.  
“If I can't change how I look I won't be able to travel with you, no one would believe I'm 15 and they would assume my passport or ID is fake, or stolen.”  
It was a valid concern, but Takeshi wasn't worried.  
“Don't worry, if needed we will just create a temporary identity for you until you either learn to change it, or your age catches up to your looks. We will have to make new identities every 10 years or so anyway since we don't age.”  
“Oh, I didn't think about that.”  
She paused for a moment then let out a big sigh.  
“I guess we might as well head back then, no point delaying, is there?”  
“Not really, but if you aren't comfortable with returning we will wait.”  
“No, you are right. It will take time to learn and I can't just stay cooped up in here until I do.”

After a quick breakfast Amanda started trying to get dressed but was having some problems remembering how to put on the kimono, even though it was a simple kimono it was still 3 layers with various ties and belts to arrange.  
“Need a hand with that?”  
Feeling her increasing frustration Takeshi decided to offer a helping hand, he had often helped Kasumi getting dressed when wearing kimono.  
“Please!”  
Stepping closer he quickly took the somewhat unwieldy piece of cloth from her hands and folded it before putting it aside.

“The _nagajuban_ comes first.”  
Picking up the plain white cotton robe he held it out for her to slip into.  
“Always left-over-right, then secure with a _koshihimo_.”  
He explained each step as he helped her wrap the garment to make sure it was straight and no wrinkles or creases before securing it with the narrow sash.  
“The red layer comes next.”  
Eriko had brought one of her usual red and white kimono and Takeshi picked up the elaborately patterned red silk and helped Amanda slip into it before straightening it.  
“Make sure it hangs straight, left-over-right and adjust the collar. If it's too long you pull it up so the hemline ends at the ankle and secure with another _koshihimo._ Fold the extra fabric over and straighten it.”  
There was no need to adjust the length though and Takeshi suspected it was part of the enchantments he could sense in the demon silk, it was probably also enchanted to work as an armor, not become dirtied, or tear.  
The process was repeated with the heavily embroidered white silk before it was time for the _obi_ , _maeita_ , _obiage_ and _obijime_.

“I am never going to be able to remember all this, much less do it myself.”  
Amanda complained as Takeshi wrapped the obi around her and secured the stiff _maeita_ in the front to keep the _obi_ nice and flat, once secured he tied a simple knot at the back.  
He refused to tie it in the front like Eriko did, it was not _proper_ for an able young woman to do so, it was the way of prostitutes and courtesans, to flaunt the expensive garment and give their customers easy access.  
Among the very young, elderly or the unfirm it was acceptable however as it made it easier for them to dress themselves.  
When Amanda had asked he quickly explained the implications made by tying it in the front and she had instantly agreed to having a formal knot in the back.  
After adding the _obiage_ above the _obi_ and tucking it in he secured the _obijime_ over the _obi_ and helped her slip on the _z_ _ō_ _ri_ sandals, at least Eriko had had the good sense not to bring the wooden _geta_ , Amanda was having problems enough with her balance.  
Takeshi spent a good while helping Amanda brush and braid her long hair before adding numerous small hair ornaments in the shape of the lily of the valley,tiny bell shaped flowers and long slender leafs cut from white and green jade into the braid.  
“I made these while you slept.”  
While he placed them he told her that in _hanakotoba,_ the language of flowers, they represented sweetness.  
Finally he placed the _kanzashi_ ornaments with pink and white lotus flower with it's gold center and the white lilies on her head, carefully arranging them to give balance while explaining their meaning, chastity, purity, devotion.

“Is all of this really necessary?”  
Amanda was getting a bit antsy from having to keep still for so long.  
“If you are going to wear a kimono you might as well do it properly. Besides, you look absolutely amazing like this.”  
“I don't know... It feels odd.”  
Takeshi huffed at her hesitation and reached out for the Mother and soon a ghostly image shimmered in front of them, slowly solidifying into a perfect replica of Amanda.  
“That's me?”  
Amanda whispered with awe in her voice as she watched the image take form.  
“It is. I told you, you look amazing.”

Getting ready to head back Knight quickly took their bags to allow Takeshi to help Amanda get around in the kimono since Takeshi had wrapped it in a tighter, more _proper,_ way than how Eriko would usually wear it.  
“Let's go.”  
The walk was slow to allow Amanda more time to get used to her new balance and once back at the house they were met by a group of very eager girls and Amanda was dragged away and bombarded with questions.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Amanda's Blessing_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Takeshi quickly took his bag and tossed it into the room he shared with Emelie before grabbing Knight and heading to Dan's office to help him with the final preparations for New Year's Eve and make some plans for the first few weeks of the new year.  
“Logan, will the sniper be okay with your steed for a few more days?”  
There had not been time to question the captured sniper, but Knight had assured him that she would be safe for a few days in the _in-between_ with his mount.  
“Yes, she will be fine. The _in-between_ is similar to your dreamscape, only it exists in a physical plane, not just an ethereal one. Some creatures, like my steed, have their own little piece of it, a pocket-realm of sorts.”  
Knight had explained that time moved differently in there, which was how the steed was able to heed his summons anywhere in the world without delay, and the female sniper was being kept in a stasis of sorts, she was aware that time passed, but it did not affect her, she would not age, or need food or water, she just existed and to safeguard her sanity the steed had used magic to sedate her.

“Good, that buys us some time. After New Year's I will bring Manda and Eriko to Ginza to buy a new wardrobe for Manda, meanwhile I want you to stay here with Em and the twins.”  
Knight instantly objected to being left behind.  
“Logan.”  
There was a slight edge to Takeshi's voice but Knight ignored it.  
“Take, I don't like it! We should all go. _Pack_ belongs together.”  
“Enough, _Beta!”  
_ Dan jumped at the snarl and bared fangs but Knight seemed like he wanted to say more before slowly baring his neck, though his aura did not reflect the submissive pose, making it perfectly clear he did not agree with Takeshi.

“The twins need to learn that they can't come with us every time we go somewhere, that we won't always be able to travel as a _pack_. And is it not the _beta's_ duty to guard the pack when the _alpha_ is not there?”  
Knight's aura flared slightly in response and he mirrored Takeshi's expression, baring his teeth for a brief moment before surrendering.  
“Yes, _Alpha_. You are right, but I still don't like it.”  
His surrender was instantly rewarded with a brush of fangs against the mark on his shoulder followed by a gentle, almost teasing nip.  
“Dan, I want you to prepare the small room furthest from the generator as a interrogation room. I'll leave the details to your imagination, just nothing too intimidating.”  
“Sure thing, do you want a holding cell in there as well? I could ask Em to help me build one out of sanctuary crystals.”  
Takeshi just nodded his agreement before moving on to the next point on his list of things to arrange, he wanted to do something about the existence of Ghost Children like Amber.

“Dan, there is something I would like you to help me look into.”  
“Hmm?”  
“It's about Amber, she is what's sometimes called a Ghost Child.”  
“What's that?”  
“A child that has never been registered anywhere, a child that as far as the government is concerned does not exist. Usually due to the mother being too afraid to let anyone know, runaways, illegals, or like in Amber's case, a prostitute kept from seeking help by the traffickers that controlled her.”  
“Oh...”  
“I want to do something for these children, especially those orphaned or abandoned like Amber. The US government is shirking its responsibility for them.”  
“Any plans for what to do?”  
“Yeah, I want to make Ghost Shelters, orphanages specially aimed at these children. And I would like you to do some investigating into how other nations handle children like these.”  
“Okay, I'll see what I can find out. Want me to look into what kind of red tape is required to get through to create those shelters in the US as well?”  
“Please.”

Takeshi paused for a moment as he picked up on a slight tension in Dan's aura.  
“Come here.”  
He opened his arms in invitation and when Dan gave him a questioning glance he just nodded with a smile, and a moment later Dan was in his lap.  
“Better?”  
“Mhm...”  
“If you want to be held, touched, all you need to do is ask.”  
“I know... It's just... I want it too much... And my heart...”  
Dan's voice trailed off, but Takeshi knew what he meant, part of Dan's heart was trying to read more into it than there was.  
“I love you...”  
“Ssh, I know. You feel so strongly, so brightly, the bond sings along with your soul. Never lose that brilliant heart of yours, the light, the dark, it's all part of what makes you so beautiful.”  
Takeshi soft words made Dan tense up for a moment, then relax back into his arms.  
“Take...?”  
“Yes?”  
“Can I kiss you?”  
“Always.”  
Takeshi leaned back slightly and relaxed, allowing Dan the illusion of control and soon the kisses turned hungry, seeking release.

 


	4. Conflicted

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Conflicted_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Takeshi felt a deep rooted sense of contentment as he watched the girls play on the beach while they waited for Eriko and Dan to set up the fireworks, the old vixen had offered to use her fox-fire to light the fireworks so that they could all watch together without anyone having to stay at the floating platform where they were launched from.  
It quickly become rather obvious though that Eriko had added her own little flare to the fireworks while helping Dan set them up as several of the colorful bursts moved in ways that were impossible to accomplish without a touch of magic, but the girls loved it.

New Year's Day was spent in a lazy manner, nothing but food, games and talking in the inner garden, but once the girls were off to bed Takeshi made preparations for a quick shopping trip to Ginza.  
Part of the preparations had been completed already, the making of a new identity for Amanda and Takeshi had to admit that Dan was getting pretty good at forgery, as far as Takeshi was able to tell both the passport and ID were perfect.  
He had asked for some assistance with the computers, but he was a quick study and Takeshi had only watched over his shoulder, making sure he didn't miss anything, Dan had been very curious though.

 

.·:*¨¨*:·.-Flashback-.·:*¨¨*:·.

“This name, _Kaiyou_ , what does it mean?”  
Dan pointed toward the surname field of the ID data Takeshi had given him  
“It means ocean.”  
“Oh, I see.”  
There was obviously more on his mind, but it would seem he needed some time to find his words.  
“I'm gonna have to make a lot of these, won't I?”  
“Well, we are going to be needing new identities every 10 years or so unless the existence of eternals becomes common knowledge.”  
“To account for the fact that you don't age.”  
“Mhm. But you don't have to do this if you're not comfortable with it.”  
“I know. And I'm fine with a bit of forgery to protect you and the others. I'm not a bad-ass fighter with crazy powers, but this is something I can do.”  
“Don't sell yourself short. You are pretty good now, and your marksmanship is improving as well. You just need to learn to have faith in yourself.”  
“If you say so...”  
“I do.”

.·:*¨¨*:·.-End Flashback-.·:*¨¨*:·.

 

With the ID completed Takeshi headed to his own office and put a call in to Ethan to see if he had an update about the construction of Knight's home.  
“Ethan, how are things in upstate New York?”  
“Cold and miserable.”  
Ethan complained with a laugh, he loved his lakeside property and didn't really mind the chilly winters.  
“So, looking forward to coming here for a build?”  
“Definitely. But it'll take me a few more weeks to get ready.”  
“How about we set a preliminary 1 month from now?”  
“Yeah, that should work.”  
“I'm looking forward to seeing how much little Nelly has grown.”  
“Her 4th birthday is just around the corner. I think even you will be surprised at how much she's grown.”  
“Ah, I should pick up a present for her then, anything in particular you think she will enjoy?”  
“She loves those fairy garden dolls and Susan has bought every single set there is. Maybe you and Em could make a few crystal items to match those in size and style?”  
“Of course. Anything else?”  
“I think she is spoiled rotten enough as it is.”  
“How about lessons in having fun and playing without expensive toys then?”  
“Please.”  
“Is she nearby?”  
“Mhm, you want to say hello?”  
“Indeed I would.”

Takeshi listened as Ethan called for Nelly and after a moment a happy voice could be heard over the phone.  
“Hello?”  
“Hello Nelly. Do you remember me?”  
“Mr Wolfy!”  
“That's right.”  
Like most children Nelly saw them for what they were, and had no issues accepting.  
“Nelly, there is something really important I want you to do for me.”  
“Okay!”  
The happy chirp made him smile, looking forward to seeing her smile.  
“I want you to give your Dad a big hug and a kiss from me.”  
“I promise!”  
“That's a good girl, now, how about you give the phone back to your Dad?”  
“Okay.”

The conversation continued for a few more minutes, sorting out a few more details.  
“All settled then, you give Nelly a big hug from everyone here.”  
“I will.”  
“Later.”  
“Later.”  
Hanging up the call Takeshi quickly entered the agreed on dates into his calendar before heading back down to the girls.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Conflicted_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Manda, are you awake?”  
It was still dark outside when Takeshi knocked gently on Amanda's door, there was no hurry but he preferred to be early if she was awake, even if he pushed the Blackout to mach 3 it would still take them almost 2 hours to reach Tokyo.

“Yeah, but I won't be ready to leave for quite a while unless I get some help with the kimono.”  
“Don't worry about putting it on yet, you can use the bathrobe I gave you for now and we will help you get dressed at the hotel. It will get rather uncomfortable in the Blackout otherwise.”  
“Okay, see you in the kitchen in a few then.”  
Just as Takeshi was about to turn the corner into the main area of the house he heard Amanda's door open and she peaked out to call after him.  
“Think you could make some of that breakfast you made before, the one with rice, those sticky beans, soup and stuff?”  
“I already made plenty enough for both of us.”  
“Okay, thanks!”

Takeshi often had the traditional Japanese breakfast consisting of steamed white rice with _natt_ _ō_ _,_ _tamagoyaki,_ grilled fish, miso-soup and a selection of steamed and pickled vegetable side dishes, all the girls gladly had the rice, fish, egg-rolls and most of the vegetables, but the fermented soybeans and miso-soup were less popular.  
While he waited for Amanda to join him he prepared some beef and tuna tartare as well as extra fish, both fried, and raw, cut to sashimi, as well as a big bowl of fried shrimp and scallops in garlic butter, he needed her to get used to eating more meat, especially raw meat, to make sure she was able to sustain her new physiology better.

“Something smells amazing!”  
Amanda made a quick beeline for the table and began to sniff the various bowls and plates, searching for whatever it was that was giving of the mouthwatering smell.  
“What is this?”  
She carefully poked the small rolls with the chopsticks Takeshi had handed her.  
“It's _nori_ and _shiso_ rolled tartare. The white plate is beef and the black one is tuna.”  
“Tartare? That means it's raw, right? Just like sashimi.”  
“It does. Sashimi is cut into slices while tartare is finely minced.”  
She sighed heavily as she picked up one of the small rolls and sniffed at it.  
“I really need to eat raw meat, don't I? That's why this smells so good, isn't it?”  
She had tried sashimi and sushi before and she didn't really mind it, though she preferred the _makizushi_ rolls with vegetables or cooked fish.

“Yes, your body knows what it needs and will adjust your taste to fit. You might get occasional cravings for odd things and instincts can give you really strong urges to do things you normally wouldn't. You need to learn to trust those instincts, they may save your life one day.”  
There was a loaded silence before Amanda spoke again and when she did she was blushing a bright crimson.  
“You mean like this really annoying _itch_ in my teeth that makes me want to bite you?”  
“Exactly.”  
Takeshi smiled and held out his arm, exposing the inside of the wrist to her.  
“Go ahead, follow your instincts.”  
Her claws leaked small amounts of venom when she grabbed hold of his arm, and by the time she sank her fangs into his wrist it was completely numb.  
 _“Am I always going to have to do this every couple of days?”  
_ Takeshi noticed that she was finally using her own abilities rather than the familiar to transmit her thoughts. _  
_

“It's possible, but I don't think so. Most vampirics only need to feed once every few weeks unless they get hurt, or use an unusual amount of power. You probably have the urge to feed more often now because your body is still adapting and getting used to its new form. Frequent feedings, especially on blood of those with a lot of power helps you build strength. Em was the same way when she first changed, she was _utterly insatiable_.” _  
_He could feel the sudden rush of embarrassment when Amanda realized just what that meant when it came to Emelie and her dietary needs. _  
_“And you don't need to worry about it, you can sink your teeth into me whenever you feel the urge to.”

He knew he really shouldn't, but he couldn't resist teasing her a bit, testing her, and her response was instant.  
The way her aura responded, brushing against his, inviting and seeking a deeper touch had him torn between instincts and logic bound by honor.  
Part of him was seeing the beautiful young woman that she had become to match her spiritual and mental maturity, a woman who was available and highly responsive to him, while another part of him was still seeing the 15 year old girl she had been a mere week ago.  
 _“Take?”_  
The slight pressure against his wrist stopped for a moment as she picked up on the frustrated shifts in his aura.  
“Don't worry about it. Just focus on taking what you need.”  
He would have to be careful and mind his aura, her ability to read him was improving rapidly and he didn't want to end up making her uncomfortable, or hurt her.  
A few minutes later she withdrew her fangs and he allowed his body to counter the paralytic venom, he didn't do it earlier since it might affect her feeding or ability to properly absorb the energies from the blood.

“Are you ready to leave?”  
“Yeah, I just need to pack the kimono and grab my toiletry bag.”  
“You go do that and I will clean up here.”  
With the kitchen cleaned up Takeshi spread his aura to check where Amanda was and he found her in the front garden so he dropped by Eriko's room to get the fox so they could head out.  
This time he had said goodbye to the twins before they went to bed so they wouldn't complain that he snuck out on them.  
When they reached the Blackout Takeshi offered Amanda to take the co-pilot seat and took the time to show her the steps of the pre-flight, it wouldn't hurt to teach her how to handle the systems, the more people that could the better, especially since he was working on buying a second Blackout from an underground arms-dealer, not only would it be very useful to have a second unit, it would also prevent it from ending up in some potentially **very** bad hands.

“Maybe I should let you try flying it on the way home?”  
Takeshi teased at her obvious delight at being allowed to help with the pre-flight.  
“Really!?”  
The tone was was so hopeful he almost felt sorry for having teased her with it.  
“Sorry, I was just teasing. But if you want to I can start teaching you how to fly it.”  
“I would really like that!”  
She had huffed at him with a moping face at first, but when he offered to teach her she instantly broke into a radiant smile and he found himself at the receiving end of a rather crushing hug.  
“Manda, remember, you are a lot stronger now.”  
He reminded her in a mock strangled tone.  
“Oops, sorry!”  
The impish smile as she ducked her head told him she wasn't, not really, she knew she hadn't hurt him in any way.  
“It's okay, just try to remember. It's fine with those of us who are stronger than normal, but you could easily hurt a normal human if you don't mind it.”  
“Don't worry I know.”  
“Now how about you get strapped in so I can take us up?”  
She quickly secured the belt and nodded that she was ready, and he didn't bother checking if Eriko was ready, if the old fox hadn't bothered getting strapped in yet it was her problem.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Conflicted_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

When they landed at the rooftop pad Amanda rushed into the hotel before anyone had a chance to see her lack of proper dress, leaving Takeshi and Eriko with their bags as well as the boxes with the kimono.  
Though, Eriko didn't really have any bags, anything she needed she used her fox-fire for, all she carried was a surprisingly simple short katana tucked into a sash below her _obi_ and the deceptively beautiful folding fan.  
Even at a close look it appeared to be nothing but a highly decorated folding fan with dangling ornaments, a closer look did however reveal that the branches covered in sakura blossoms and butterflies that decorated the silk moved and shifted, animated by Eriko's innate power of illusion.  
But in reality it was a _tessen_ , a war fan, within each of the slender dragon-bone spines was a hidden blade just as sharp as any katana, and he had no doubt that Eriko was a true master at wielding it.  
It reminded him that he needed to speak to one of the weapons masters that worked with materials such as demon or dragon bone to have one crafted for Emelie, he had promised her one and even though she now had her scythe it was time to make good on that promise.

“My my, she can be quick when she wants to.”  
Takeshi just shook his head with a smile at Eriko's teasing quip, then handed her the boxes that contained the kimono before grabbing his own bag.  
Stepping into the hotel room he found that Amanda had made herself comfortable at the _Kotatsu_ , traditional heated table.  
The hotel was fairly traditional, which meant it didn't have heavy insulation or central heating, instead relying on kotatsu and space heaters for comfort.  
The kotatsu was in essence a low table with an electric heater underneath, that was covered with a thin futon, essentially a large, cozy, quilt

“Comfy there Manda?”  
He paused at the large, round table that Amanda had crawled almost entirely underneath, only her head was sticking out.  
“Mhm, it's kinda cold in here so it's really cozy.”  
“Yeah, traditional hotels like this one don't have central heating, and very little insulation, so it gets chilly in the winter, and it's been unusually cold the past week so it's even more noticeable now.”  
Takeshi took a seat next to Amanda while explaining that central heating had never been a big thing in Japan.  
“Doesn't that mean I will get really cold with just a kimono?”  
“Don't worry. My nagajuban is made from demon silk and is heavily enchanted, it will keep you warm.”  
Eriko soothed softly before shifting to her fox form and crawling in under the kotatsu.  
“Manda, you are a blessed now so you don't need to worry so much about that. You won't get cold the way a human does, and being a deep sea aquatic you are probably even more resilient to cold.”  
Takeshi's addition made her nod with a bright blush.  
“I forgot about that...”  
“Don't worry, you'll get used to it. Besides, even if you don't need it for warmth it's still really cozy.”

“Manda, do you want to head out right away, or wait until after lunch?”  
They had been resting for about half an hour when Takeshi gently prodded Amanda to see how she wanted her shopping spree handled.  
“Can we head out now and have lunch at some nice restaurant?”  
“Of course. I'll give Sasaki-Obāsan a call and let her know we will be there for lunch. Do you think you can put on the _nagajuban_ on your own and I will help you with the rest? Or would you prefer if Eriko helped you?”  
“Yeah, I think so. And no, I prefer if you do it, she has _wandering hands_...”  
Amanda blushed slightly as she recalled the last time Eriko had helped with the kimono, and helped herself to quite a few handfuls.  
“Well, she **is** a fox...”  
Takeshi offered no other explanation as he searched out the number for Sasaki's restaurant on his phone.

When Takeshi knocked on the panel door to the small room where Amanda was she instantly called him in and he found that she had been able to put on everything up to the _obi_ which she was now holding in her arms.  
“See, I told you you would get the hang of that in no time at all.”  
“She may be handsy, but she **is** a really good teacher.”  
“That she is.”  
Takeshi agreed softly while giving the various parts a few quick tugs to make sure everything was straight and without any creases, complimenting her on a job well done as very little needed any adjustment.  
“Next time try to remember to allow the collar to drop a bit in the back, about three fingers wide, and arrange the edge of the collar so that all the layers can be seen.”  
“Okay.”

A few minutes later the obi with all its ties and tucks was done and Takeshi started wrangling her hair into something that resembled a traditional _Shimada_ hairstyle but with several long braids falling down her back.  
He carefully added the small lily of the valley _kanzashi_ into the braids before placing several larger _kanzashi_ into the _Shimada,_ including the white lily and lotus ones.  
When Amanda stood the movement caused the tiny bell like flowers to tinkle and with a wide smile she shook her head slightly to bring out the sound again which made Takeshi smile at her, pulled along by the sparkling joy at such a simple thing.  
Once she stilled her familiar fluttered over and settled among the ornaments, slowly fading into what looked like just another ornament shaped like a Luna-moth.  
“I do believe you are ready.”  
“Mhm, let's go.”

When they entered the main room Takeshi frowned slightly at Eriko's appearance, while they were at the estate he didn't care about her lax, and rather suggestive, state of dress, but now it could give the wrong impression of, and draw unwanted attention to, Amanda, and he did not want that.  
“Eriko-san, would you please wear your kimono a bit more appropriately while we are here.”  
“ _Hai hai, Kiryu-dono!_ ”  
“You will not cause any trouble, _Kitsune_!”  
Amanda squeaked in alarm when Takeshi passed her in a blur and pinned Eriko to the wall with a vicious snarl.  
“ _Hai, Kiryu no Kage.”  
_ Eriko instantly tilted her head to the side in submission but Takeshi gave one final hard squeeze, digging his claws in, before accepting her surrender and dropping her.  
Eriko stood up slowly, keeping her head down and with a quick flare of foxfire her kimono straightened itself into the proper form, but she still wore her hair loose and the tails flicked tensely behind her.  
She had overstepped and she knew it, but she hadn't been prepared for such a harsh reaction, Takeshi was obviously far more tense than he let on.

“What was that about? If you don't mind me asking...”  
Amanda slowly turned to a still rather agitated Takeshi once Eriko left the room.  
“As you know honorifics are very important in Japanese culture. It's important to show the proper level of respect.”  
Takeshi kept his eyes closed and focused on his breathing and aura as he spoke.  
“But isn't _Dono_ one of the most respectful ones?”  
“It is, and that's the problem, it's **too** respectful. She uses in the ancient way, meaning she addressed me akin to _My Lord_ and that is reserved for actual nobility, or the head of a house. Especially when spoken by one of high rank, like Eriko.”  
He could feel Amanda's confusion so he continued to explain.  
“Eriko is the head of the Silver House, High Priestess of _Inari_ and a _Kyūbi,_ making her practically royalty, some would even consider her a lesser _Kami._ And I'm still a _Kage_ , a shadow without even the right to my own name.”  
When he mentioned his own status as Kage Amanda reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder, offering silent support, silently letting him know she didn't care about his name.  
“So her calling you _Kiryu-dono_ would be to incite rebellion against tradition and your family? Causing trouble with the Council and possibly messing with your and Sumi-chan's plans?”  
“Exactly!”  
There was no mistaking the pride in his voice when she came to the correct conclusion.  
“Now, why don't you ask Eriko to help you with the _geta_ while I get changed?”  
“Okay.”

When Takeshi rejoined Amanda and Eriko he was greeted by a catcall from Amanda.  
“Damn, you clean up nicely! But is it really okay to wear your swords openly like that?”  
He was wearing a rather plain black suit with a slightly relaxed fit to allow him a full range of movement in case he needed to fight and over the jacket he carried the simple black harness that allowed him to secure the twin blades across his back.  
“Don't worry. Being a Kage has its advantages, I share the same legal status as a professional bodyguard which allows me to be armed when I'm _working_. And as far as anyone is concerned I'm under orders from Kasumi to protect you and to be Honor-guard to Eriko as head of a prominent house with close ties to the Kiryu.”  
Walking over to Amanda he handed her a plain tanto and showed her how to hide it in her _obi.  
_ “I know you have claws to defend yourself with now, but you never know when a proper blade might come in handy.”  
“I'll try to make sure I won't need it.”  
“As will I.”  
The simple promise of protection was accepted with a soft smile and a slight nod.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Conflicted_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

When they exited the elevator into the lobby there was a sudden silence followed by hushed murmurs as all attention turned to them.  
There were other women wearing kimono, but none of them were as stunning as his companions and he couldn't help preening slightly at the thought that in a sense they were _his_.  
An elderly couple slowly approached them and after a bow they asked Eriko if she would do them the honor of granting then the blessing of Inari for the new year.  
 _“Wait, they can see what she is?”_  
Amanda's tone carried a distinct feeling of surprise.  
 _“They can, she isn't hiding her ears nor tails. Though only those with knowledge of the old ways, or spiritual powers of their own will be able to see her. Chances are that quite a few will approach us to ask her to bless them.”  
“But, if she isn't hiding them why can't everyone see them?”  
“It's human nature. Most people will refuse to see what they believe to be impossible. You and the other girls see it because you are able to accept it since it is what saved you from Roberts.”  
_Amanda echoed his own revulsion at the mention of the name, but there was no longer any fear mixed into it.

Heading out they began to look for a new wardrobe for Amanda, and Eriko proved to be a valuable asset as she used her ability to transform to borrow Amanda's form to try the various clothes on so that there would be no need to get her out of the kimono to see what would fit.  
Takeshi had been prepared to either buy a lot of extras, or talk the stores into allowing them to bring a few sets back to the hotel so she could try them on there, but Eriko saved them quite a bit of trouble, and allowed Amanda to see exactly how everything would look on her.

“Is it time for lunch yet? I'm starting to get really hungry.”  
Takeshi and Eriko both laughed when Amanda's stomach seconded her statement by giving of a rather loud rumbling.  
“It's a bit early, but Sasaki-Obāsan will no doubt receive us with open arms and offer something to hold you over until lunch is ready to be served.”  
“I'm sorry. I don't usually get this hungry this fast...”  
There was a slight blush as she apologized for changing their plans.  
“You have nothing to apologize for. You are still getting used to your new body, not to mention we had breakfast a lot earlier than you are used to, and you didn't really eat much of substance.”  
“But I had a lot of...”  
Her voice trailed of, still feeling rather self-conscious about the consumption of blood.  
“Blood digests differently, it sates a different hunger and replenishes different stores than regular food. While you drank your fill you didn't eat much, at least not for your new metabolism.”  
Amanda just nodded her understanding, obviously uncomfortable with the topic and Takeshi allowed it to drop for the time being, they would need to talk more about it though.

“ _Irasshaimase! Kyūbi-sama, Takeshi-sama._ ”  
Sasaki greeted Eriko and Takeshi first before turning to Amanda.  
”And who is this lovely young lady?”  
“This is my ward, Kaiyou Amanda.”  
“ _Irasshaimase Kaiyou-sama!”_  
Amanda was utterly confused but was able to return Sasaki's greeting in Japanese, she had been studying it for the past year.  
Sasaki paused for a moment and then broke into a wide smile when she recognized Amanda.  
“I must apologize, I didn't recognize you. You have grown quite a bit, Daughter of the Sea.”  
She quickly ushered her guests toward one of the private rooms hidden deeper within the building.  
“Take, why did you call me _Kaiyou_?”  
Amanda's voice was barely a whisper, but she knew Takeshi would hear her anyway.  
“You need a last name, don't you? You have been refusing to use your own so I figured I might as well give you a new one, and _Ocean_ seemed fitting. But if you prefer your old one, or want another one it's up to you.”  
“No, it's okay. I like it, I was just a bit surprised.”  
“Then I would suggest you actually look at your new ID.”  
He scolded her gently for not checking her ID after receiving it.  
“Sorry...”

As they walked Amanda carefully considered the woman in front of them for a moment.  
“Sasaki-Obāsan is a Blessed, isn't she? And she can tell I am one as well, that's why she called me a daughter of the sea?”  
“Yes, she can sense what you are just as you can sense what she is. And she is very old so she has a lot of experience in knowing just what we are.”

They all paused for a moment when Sasaki stopped in front of a simple shōji door and kneeled down to open it and invite her guests inside the small private room.  
Thanking her they stepped inside and changed into the slippers that were waiting just inside the door before stepping onto the slightly elevated floor and walking over to the low table.  
Once they were seated Sasaki excused herself and a few minutes later a waitress brought in bowls of water and towels for them to wash their hands and she was soon joined by others who began placing baskets of fruit and still steaming bread on the table.  
An older woman placed a tray holding a cup and a small knife in front of Takeshi before informing them that their food would be served in about 10 minutes.  
Amanda carefully leaned in closer to look at the strange items, they both seemed to be crafted from black glass, maybe obsidian and the blade looked to be wickedly sharp.

“Is that obsidian?”  
Her curiosity finally getting the better of her.  
“It looks very similar but this is crystallized blood from a black or maybe even an obsidian dragon. It comes in two forms, this is _Dragonstone_ , it created by the dragons by intentionally cutting themselves, gathering and crystallizing the blood. The second form is the _Heartstone_ sometimes also called _Lifestone_ or _Deathstone_ , those are formed when a dragon dies. At the very moment of death the blood within their heart crystallizes.”  
Amanda gave the items a suspicious look before turning to Takeshi again.  
“Are you sure those are from a living dragon, that gave the blood willingly?”  
“I'm sure. The dragon has to intentionally crystallize it to create _Bloodstones_ , and a Heartstone always carries a Life-flame, a small flicker of the life force of the dragon it came from, even if someone manages to break it apart, each fragment will hold some of that power.”  
“Okay. But, what's it for?”  
Instead of answering her Takeshi just washed his hands before taking the small knife and quickly sliced across his palm, holding his hand over the cup he allowed his blood to fill it before offering it to her.  
“There are no blades sharper than those made from Dragonstone, even on a regular human cuts made with them heal fast, clean and with little or no scarring, they are however fragile compared to forged metal. It is also believed that liquids kept in a container of Dragonstone will never spoil.”  
She carefully took the offered cup and set it down while Eriko and Takeshi filled each others cups with saké, once they raised theirs in toast she joined them.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Conflicted_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

After a long and lazy lunch they returned to shopping, and thanks to Takeshi making sure Amanda ate according to her new metabolism she had managed the rest of the day without getting any more urges to take a bite out of him.  
After dinner they retreated to the common room, and the cozy heat of the kotatsu, intending to spend the evening and most of the night in their usual manner, talking and playing games, since none of them really needed much sleep it would probably be a rather long night.

Takeshi found himself unable to relax though as Amanda curled into his side, her aura and scent growing increasingly inviting which triggered his instincts, making him grow increasingly conflicted.

It was shortly before midnight when Takeshi suddenly bolted up and stalked out of the room with a frustrated grow, leaving behind two rather stunned females.  
“Did I do something wrong?”  
Amanda was quickly growing distraught while a growing ire set Eriko's aura aflame.  
“No, you did nothing to warrant this reaction.”  
Eriko tried to soothe her but she wasn't having much success as she could feel the growing worry in Amanda's aura start to become tainted by sadness and pain.  
“Try to get some rest, I will talk to him and see if I can't find out what's wrong.”  
Eriko was pretty sure what had caused it, but she needed to confirm just why Takeshi reacted the way he did, it wasn't like him to lose control like that.

When she stepped out on the roof she could instantly feel that she was correct, his aura was flaring and twisting with his efforts to keep it suppressed.  
“If this is what her presence does to you, why do you resist? Why do you reject her?”  
She approached him cautiously, paying close attention to every twist of his aura as well as the low growl that was warning her that he was not in the mood to be questioned, but it had to be done.  
“She is a 15 year old girl! It's not right.”  
Eriko paused at the snarled words and for a moment she considered retreating, but the faint scent of Amanda's tears that still lingered in her clothing made her stand her ground.  
“All I see is a young woman, the Blessing changed her form to better match her true maturity. Are you questioning the wisdom and power of the Mother?”  
For a moment she thought he might actually attack her from the way his aura twisted.  
“She is my ward, a dependent!”  
“Excuses! Was Emelie not your ward as well?”

The flare of power that was released nearly forced Eriko to her knees and with a loud snarl Takeshi vanished from the rooftop, she had no doubt that someone, or something, would die by his claws before he returned, but hopefully she had managed to get him thinking.  
Sometimes he was far too human, stuck in a human concept of morality when it didn't really apply.  
Walking back inside she found Amanda curled up under the kotatsu, all that could be seen was the top of her head among the pillow piled around it, her restless aura revealed that she was in fact not sleeping though.  
“Where is Take?”  
Amanda questioned quietly when Eriko joined her in the makeshift den.  
“He is out throwing a tantrum. Don't worry, he will be back when he has calmed down.”  
“What happened, why did he storm of like that?”  
Eriko was struggling not to growl when she smelled the lingering salty scent of Amanda's tears and she turned around and burrowed her head against her.  
“That's not up to me to speak of, you will have to speak to him about it when he returns. I'm sorry.”

It was nearly dawn when Eriko felt Takeshi's aura return and she carefully untangled herself from Amanda to go meet him on the roof.  
She was slightly surprised at the sight that met her, the usually immaculately clean man smelled strongly of blood and the stench of his victims fear clung strongly to him.  
His hands were covered in blood, she could tell from the slightly wet look that there was plenty of blood on his clothes as well, even his face and hair carried splatters of blood and her nose told her that the blood was from at least a dozen different sources, both human and demon.  
“Go talk to her, explain why you left. She deserves to know why you hurt her.”  
When he responded by flexing his claws and baring his fangs at her she steeled herself before snapping at him.  
“ _Yamete_!”  
Admittedly, telling him to knock it off while slapping him might not have been the wisest choice, but he needed it.  
As his adviser it was her sworn duty to make him see when he was heading down the wrong path, and if she needed to knock him around to do so then she damn well would.  
When he snarled at her and seemed like he would attack she simply threw her _obi_ at him, the silk cloth still moist from Amanda's crying.

“This is how you protect and care for someone who you wish to make _pack_? How you treat a valuable young beta who has yet to awaken? A beta you wish to have rise for your Co-alpha...”  
The scent of Amanda's tears combined with Eriko's accusing questions seemed to instantly drain the fury from his aura.  
“Go, don't bother getting cleaned up, just go!”  
Walking past her Takeshi bared his fangs at her again, but this time it was rebellious rather than aggressive and she responded by slapping the back of his head with her folded tessen.

“Manda, I know you are awake. I understand if you don't want to talk to me, but would you please listen to what I have to say?”  
His tone was somewhat subdued and when she curled deeper into the pillows, pulling her aura even tighter around herself he faltered slightly.  
 _“Please?”_  
Relief flitted through his aura when she finally turned toward him, even if her aura was still pulled in tightly.  
The moment she looked at him her reddened eyes widened in concern.  
“Take?!”  
“Ssh, easy. None of it is mine. I needed to get myself under control, and the fastest way to achieve that was to let go. I hunted down some really bad individuals and made sure they won't be hurting anyone, ever again.”  
She slowly pulled herself into a sitting position in the pile of pillows, legs still hidden under the thin futon that covered the kotatsu, but her posture was defensive with her arms wrapped around her torso.  
Her aura was still coiled tightly, so when she didn't invite him to join her he simply lowered himself into _seiza_ on the floor opposite of her position.  
  
“I shouldn't have ran off like that, not without properly explaining why I had to leave.”  
Taking a deep breath he started to explain himself.  
“The way you have changed has me conflicted, part of me sees, and responds, to the beautiful young woman that you have become, but a part of me can't see beyond the innocent 15 year old girl that you were a mere week ago.”  
While he explained his reason, why he had to leave so suddenly, his frustration and seemingly irritated state, he was relieved so notice that she was slowly relaxing, and her aura began to unfurl.  
Even when her aura exploded with rage and she pounced at him, giving him a vicious punch in the jaw it only gave him a feeling of relief.

“So I'm old enough to make the choice to take the Blessing, to become something entirely different, to become an Eternal, but not old enough to decide if I wish to share someone's bed?”  
He didn't answer her, he honestly had no answer for her, she was right and yet he found himself struggling with it.  
When the burst of temper began to fade she broke down crying again and Takeshi quickly moved to her side and pulled her into his arms, holding her close, assuring her that his jaw would be fully healed by breakfast, but when he felt sharp fangs nibble at his shoulder he froze.

“Manda, please don't. This is hard enough as it is.”  
Her reaction was sluggish but she did stop, and when she looked up her eyes seemed slightly glazed and it was obvious that her fangs were elongated.  
Takeshi knew the look from when Emelie changed, before she learned control, it was the look of someone under the thrall of an instinctive need to feed.  
“Ssh, here.”  
He offered her the inside of his wrist and she instantly bit down, it would seem the emotional stress had drained her faster than expected.  
Despite only offering her his wrist he found himself being strongly affected by her feeding and it was a struggle to maintain control.  
When she released his arm she was nearly asleep and he carefully returned her to the makeshift den before heading for the shower to get cleaned up.  
“Take?”  
The mumbled question as he stepped away made him pause and turn around, the question in her eyes clear as day.  
“It's not _No_ , it's _Give me time_. Okay?”  
He watched her nod silently before turning around and going back to sleep.

Standing in the shower he let the steaming water wash away the blood while trying to calm his mind but it would seem calm was not going to come easy this morning.  
Part of him was raging, telling him he was a fool for allowing her hope, that it could never be, must never be.  
He found it surprisingly easy to get rid of that nagging voice, he didn't want to completely reject her, that was part of why he was so conflicted, why he reacted so strongly, he found himself wanting her despite knowing he shouldn't.  
It would probably take a while, but he was sure he would come to terms with things, while he did he would encourage her to find someone else, he would keep his distance but he would not reject her.

“So, you couldn't reject her, could you?”  
It was only years of training that kept Takeshi from jumping at Eriko's voice, he had been so deep in though he hadn't noticed her entering the bathroom, even if she did hide her presence he should still have noticed she was so close.  
“I can't. It would be a lie, so I won't.”  
“And yet you refuse to lay with her, despite the _condition_ it leaves you in.”  
Eriko stepped closer and reached out for his back as she spoke but before she could touch him he spun around and bared his fangs at her.  
“Get out!”  
There was no mistaking the tone of the growl so Eriko quickly took a step back and lowered her hand.  
“ _Hai._ ”  
She gave a short bow before quickly leaving the bathroom with a grin, she was after all a fox, and foxes lived for teasing,.  
Though, she wouldn't have minded if he had welcomed her either, in his current state it could have proved to be a **very** interesting experience, and being around the twins had made her long for kits of her own again, something that Matthews was unable to give her.  
With a small sigh she shed her human form in favor of her true form and curled up against Amanda's stomach.  
Her tails bristled slightly in annoyance when Takeshi joined them and Amanda instantly shifted around to curl into him instead, but the sense of total contentment that flowed through their auras quickly calmed her.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Conflicted_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

When Takeshi woke up he quickly found that they had slept past breakfast so they would either have to head out and find a restaurant or buy some groceries and prepare in the small kitchen.  
“Come on sleepyhead, focus on me for a moment then you can go back to napping.”  
Amanda groaned and grumbled, but after a few seconds her eyes opened and focused on his.  
“We missed breakfast so you need to chose, head out and find a restaurant, get takeout, or shop for groceries and cook here.”  
“Cook here...”  
“Okay, do you want to come with me or stay here with Eriko?”  
“I'll stay. You got blood all over me when you got back so I need a nice long bath.”  
“Ah, I'm sorry about that.”  
“Buy me a nice, sweet, treat and I might forgive you.”  
“I'll see what I can find.”

“You watch over her, fox.”  
Takeshi called out for Eriko as he headed toward the elevator door.  
“I will.”  
The voice was muffled, telling them that the fox was still hiding beneath the kotatsu.

The moment the indicator on the elevator showed that Takeshi was heading down Amanda scrambled out from underneath the kotatsu.  
“Eriko, there's something I would like to ask you.”  
“Hai?”  
The voice was still muffled, but after a few moments a silver snout and large ears appeared from a squirming section of the kotatsu cover.  
“The kimono you lent me, can you alter it the way you do the one you are wearing?”  
“Not entirely as I'm using true transformation for some of it. But I can modify I quite extensively, and I can weave illusions into it.”  
“Okay. What would I have to pay to get you to change how it looks for me?”  
Amanda's question made Eriko return to her humanoid form and sit in silence for a while.  
“I would ask that you have patience with that fool of a Kage.”  
“I will. I love him and I refuse to give up on that.”  
The soft confession made Eriko wrap her arms around Amanda.  
“And you never should. Loving him won't always be easy, but I truly believe it will always be worth it.”  
“I know it will, even if he doesn't love me.”  
Eriko didn't offer any answer to that, but she was convinced that Takeshi would fall for the strong-hearted young woman.

“So, what kind of changes did you have in mind?”  
Eriko could only resist her natural curiosity for so long.  
“I had a dream tonight, of a kimono that looked like the sea.”  
Amanda's smile turned somewhat secretive and her voice dropped slightly as she began to describe the kimono she wanted.

 

.·:*¨¨*:·. Meanwhile with Takeshi.·:*¨¨*:·.

Takeshi walked through the various stores in Ginza, picking out a nice breakfast selection and having it delivered to the hotel using one of the many runners offered by the stores.  
He hadn't figured out what to buy for Amanda though, but walking past a small store selling wagashi he dropped in a picked up a large box of the beautifully crafted treats.  
With wagashi they naturally needed a good matcha tea as well so after a few quick questions to the staff of the store he headed toward a store that they said had the best tea.  
Walking along the streets of Ginza toward the tea store he spotted the sign for the Ginza Sembikiya, hailed to be the most exclusive fruit parlor in the world he would no doubt be able to find a few nice treats there as well so he quickly crossed the street to inspect their wares.

Takeshi looked at the crate being packed with a sigh, he had bought a lot more than intended.  
With the development of greenhouse technology and youkai born storage techniques most of the famous luxury fruits were now available all year around, not just during peak season:  
He watched as a few _Taiyo no Tamago_ , Egg of the Sun, mangoes were carefully placed into the crate, they were renowned for their size, beautiful red color, and deep sweetness.  
He had also picked up a few bunches of _Ruby Roman_ grapes, a few _Yubari King_ melons as well a _Densuke_ watermelon, and _Sato Nishiki_ cherries.  
As a bit of an afterthought he added several of the mixed fruit crates that contained various fruits suitable for making salads and parfaits.

With a packet of ceremonial grade Kyoto matcha under his arm Takeshi headed back toward the hotel, but the moment he stepped out of the small elevator he froze and stared at the sight before him  
Amanda had opted not to wear the clothes they had bought in favor for continuing to wear a kimono, but it looked nothing like the one she had borrowed from Eriko.  
Instead of the red and white she was wearing layers of shimmering silk gauze shifting in several shades of blue, green and aqua over a deep blue kimono and the shifting layers gave the illusions of waves as she moved.  
A closer look revealed thousands of tiny fish-scale sequins spread over the layers of gauze, together mirroring the pattern of her tail and on the deep blue kimono the black pattern of dragon-scales was mirrored.  
The flower kanzashi had been replaced with a selection of seaweed , corals, small seashells, pearls and starfish, he even spotted a few tiny octopus and a seahorse among the ornaments.  
The entire ensemble was no doubt a creation of Eriko's fox-magic and it showed that Amanda was finding a new confidence in herself, in what she had become.

He found himself at a loss of words as she turned around and slowly walked toward him.  
“I take it you like what you see?”  
“....”  
All he could do was nod silently, which earned him a brilliant laugh as she quickly stepped up to him and gave him a soft kiss to the underside of the jaw before darting away with a blush.  
“If you are done picking up your jaw from the floor how about you get dressed to match?”  
Eriko's teasing quip as she handed him a pile of silk cloth snapped him out of his stupor and made him flash his fangs at her before checking what she had handed him.  
The package revealed itself to contain a traditional men's kimono, it would seem they intended to show him off as well.  
“Can you get dressed on your own, or has it been so long since you dressed properly that you require assistance?”  
“As if Misato-okāsan would have ever tolerated even the possibility of me ever forgetting... Though I think I better make breakfast first.”

“So, what kind of sweet treat did you get me?”  
Amanda watched as Takeshi skewered a bunch of sardines, preparing them to be grilled as soon as the mackerel were done.  
“Now now, no dessert until after you have had some breakfast.”  
“Aww, meanie.”  
“Oh shush. Make yourself useful instead.”  
Takeshi pointed toward the large rice cooker that just announced that the rice was done steaming and needed to be fluffed up.  
She huffed at him, but did do as asked since she had already evaded most of the cooking due to the simple fact of the kimono getting in the way.

“Oh, those are really pretty.”  
The obvious joy in Amanda's voice when he served up the matcha and wagashi told him his apology was well received.  
“Does that mean I'm forgiven?”  
“Mhm, this time.”  
“Thank you.”  
He was curious to see how the fruits would be received, but he intended to save those for after dinner.

Once they were done with breakfast Takeshi headed to one of the small side rooms and quickly changed into the kimono that Eriko had given him and after tucking his swords into the obi and securing them he returned to the main room.  
“Oh yeah, that's what I'm talking about.”  
Amanda gave him a soft wolf-whistle.  
“My my, you were right. He looks even better like this.”  
Amanda and Eriko quipped and teased as they openly assessed his appearance.  
“Are you ladies ready to go?”  
Ignoring their antics he offered his arm to Amanda with a teasing smirk and she took it while giving him a wide grin in return and allowed him to walk her to the elevator.  
“Eriko-san?”  
When they turned to wait for Eriko they were met by the white fennec form that she had used during their trip to D.C and Amanda instantly reached down and took the handle of the silvery chain.  
 _“I will let you guys be the center of attention today. But don't worry, I'll still play mannequin for for sweet little Manda here.”_  
It wouldn't be any problem since the stores they would be visiting today were all places where the sight of a fox turning into a woman would merely cause a more respectful greeting to be offered.

As predicted they were drawing even more attention as quite a few approached to admire Amanda's elaborate kimono and many, tourist and local alike, asked if they could take pictures of them.  
Takeshi was as uncomfortable as ever with the attention but he soldiered it since Amanda seemed to be enjoying herself immensely.  
He did get to enjoy himself a bit later in the evening though as a group of young thugs approached them as they left a small store in one of the side alleys where they had picked up an old dragon-bone tessen for Amanda that Eriko promised to remake to suite her.

“Come on _Gaijin_ , hand over your wallet, phone and that fancy watch. You too bitch, jewelry, money and that pretty pet of yours. And start stripping, those kimono should fetch a nice price.”  
For a moment Takeshi almost laughed at the absurdity of having a group of punks with knuckles try to mug them but Amanda beat him to it with a snicker.  
“You boys aren't the brightest in the bunch, are you? Trying to mug the guy with the katana...”  
As she spoke she took a small step to the side to allow Takeshi more room to move if he needed to.  
“You know, if you throw down your weapons and apologize he might just let you get out of here alive...”  
Her tone was mocking and it was causing tempers to flare.  
 _“Manda, there's no need to antagonize them further, Also, I have no reason to kill these punks.”  
“Oh, I know that, but they don't...”  
“Women...”  
_

“Ha! Like we would be scared of a rich boy _gaijin_ in fancy cosplay.”  
The group began to move close to forcefully take the items they had demanded.  
“Oh well, don't say I didn't warn you.”  
Amanda drawled with a bored tone as Takeshi shifted his weight slightly, prepared to fight if needed.  
Just as he was about to draw his blade to see if they would back of when they realized they were facing a real blade a sound was heard further in the alley and an older man appeared from one of the small doors and instantly began scolding the thugs.  
The man moved up to them quickly and began to swing a _shinai_ with excellent accuracy, the bamboo sword hitting true with each swing.  
 _“Fools! You dare attack a Kyūbi, a Kage and their companion? Do you_ _ **seek**_ _death?”  
_

Listening to the man's continued scolding in Japanese Takeshi realized this was not a passer by intervening, this was an elder yakuza making sure the younger _kobun_ didn't bring shame to the _Oyabun_ by their actions.  
With the boys adequately subdued the elder man turned toward them and bowed deeply, and when he moved to kneel down into kowtow Takeshi stopped him, he would not demand such a thing from the old man, the boys on the others hand were kept kneeling on the ground with a glare.  
“I offer my deepest apologies, _Kiryu no Kage-sama, Ky_ _ū_ _bi-kamisama_.”  
He spoke in English, probably believing that Amanda did not speak Japanese as she had not done so during the confrontation, there was a slight pause as he looked at Amanda, obviously unsure how to address her.  
 _“_ Kaiyou Amanda, ward of the Kage. _”_  
She introduced herself in Japanese and gave him a simple nod in recognition.  
 _“Kaiyou-sama.”  
_ The old man added once he knew her name, and quickly went on to assure them that the _foolish boys_ would be properly punished for their actions.  
They could all tell from the fear radiating from the would be robbers that the punishment would be a harsh one and after a quick consideration Amanda stepped forward.

“May I? _”_  
She indicated toward the _shinai_ that the old man had tucked in his belt, he nodded and handed her the bamboo weapon with a slightly puzzled look, but it was clear he would do whatever they asked of him in order to save face for the _Oyabun_.  
 _“_ Their actions were against us and if you agree I would deliver their punishment myself.”  
She frowned slightly when he looked toward Takeshi for confirmation but didn't say anything.  
“As you wish _Kaiyou-sama_ , they are yours to do with as you see fit.”

Takeshi was struggling not to laugh as Amanda ordered them to stand in a line with their back toward her, bend forward and grab their ankles before giving them a good old spanking, Eriko on the other hand was not showing the same restraint, rolling around on the ground in her fennec form yipping with unmistakable glee.  
Even the old man was chuckling with a grin when Amanda handed a rather frayed looking _shinai_ back and he promptly ordered the boys to turn around and thank her for her _most generous leniency.  
_ The rather obvious limping as they walked away told them that the boys probably didn't think it to be **that** lenient.

“Umm, Take. Is it bad that I kinda enjoyed that? A lot...”  
“Most definitely bad, very bad Manda!”  
The wide grin and barely suppressed laughter along with the intense amusement and approval flowing through Takeshi's aura belied his somewhat scolding words.  
“Come on, let's go get something to eat before we head back.”  
He quickly ushered her toward a restaurant that he knew had some of the best sashimi money could buy.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Conflicted_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Wow.”  
The awed gasp when Takeshi presented Amanda with the fruits he had bought made it all worth it.  
“These are almost too pretty to eat.”  
“They are supposedly the sweetest and most flavorful in the world.”  
Takeshi offered her one of the bunches of Ruby Roman grapes and she carefully took one of the large, red, grapes.  
“They are huge!”  
“Mhm, to be certified as premium grade Ruby Roman each grape must weigh over 30 grams.”  
“It's the size of a ping-pong ball.”  
Takeshi just nodded with a smile as she inspected the brilliant red berry.  
“Do I just eat it as it is?”  
“Well, the Japanese usually peel them first, but it's not necessary.”  
“Okay!”  
He watched as she plopped the whole berry in her mouth and bit down, watched the way her face morphed into surprise at the amount of juice in it.  
“Wow, it tastes even better than it looks. Super sweet.”  
Watching Amanda's joy as she tried the various fruits soothed Takeshi's instincts, but it did little to lessen the internal conflict, but at least it seemed like he hadn't hurt her too badly with his actions.  
Now if he could only get her to enjoy raw meat and fish as eagerly as she did fruit...

“Are you ready to grab some breakfast and head back home?”  
The sun had just crawled over the horizon when Takeshi gave Amanda a gentle nudge.  
“Mhm...”  
She burrowed her face into the pillows for a moment before looking underneath the kotatsu.  
“Where's Eriko?”  
She popped her head back out when she didn't find a fox hidden under the low table.  
“She's running an errand for me, she will join us at the island in a couple days.”  
“Oh, what's she doing?”  
“Hmm, curious are we?”  
“Mhm!”  
“Well, you're going to have to remain curious.”  
His refusal to tell her what he had sent Eriko out on earned him an annoyed huff but he ignored her, he had no intention of telling her.

The truth was that he had sent Eriko to commission a kimono for Amanda, her very own kimono using the ocean design that she had asked Eriko to make.  
It would still employ some illusions to make it justice, but a lot less than what Eriko had used to alter her spare kimono into the desired look.

 

“It better not be something dangerous.”  
“Don't worry, it's not. Besides, she's a kyūbi, they are not to be trifled with.”  
“That doesn't make it okay to ask her to do dangerous stuff.”  
Takeshi just shook his head at Amanda's scolding and ushered her toward the elevator so they could eat and get back home.

 


	5. Answers

 

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When they returned to the estate they were met by Dan and Knight who helped Takeshi carry Amanda's bags and parcels to her room while Dan informed him that the requested interrogation room had been prepared and that the sniper had been transferred from the _in-between_ to the cell.

“Logan said she'd be fine in there until you're ready to question her but I figured it might be more effective to let her sweat in a cell. After all, as long as she's magically sedated she won't really be aware of how much trouble she's in.”  
Dan quickly explained his reasoning while helping Takeshi and Amanda empty out her closets so that she could fit the new clothes.  
“I asked Em to give me a hand with the cell and so far our guest seem to have settled in well, no doubt planning an escape  
“Good thinking. We will let her sit for another week or so. Let her stew and get a bit worried. I trust you watch her while she eats?”  
“Of course.”  
“Next time bring a paper or something that will allow her to find out what date it is, let her figure out that she has somehow lost nearly 2 weeks.”  
“Ouch, that's kinda nasty you know.”  
“Well, she will find out sooner or later unless we kill her, and I would prefer not to. She is a skilled sniper, if possible I would like to recruit her. Keeping her off balance should make it easier once I start questioning her.”

Dan quickly agreed that killing her had to be an absolute last resort, but he did understand that it might end up being their only choice.  
“Damn, Manda, did you buy half of Ginza?”  
Dan stared at the stack of boxes that had piled up while he helped her empty the closet.  
“I did need an entire new wardrobe.”  
“Yeah, but sheesh girl. How many skirts can you possibly need?”  
“Says Mr 30 pairs of cargo shorts...”  
“Those are work clothes!”  
The friendly bickering had Takeshi smiling and shaking his head as he placed another box of clothes outside the door to Amanda's room.

After helping Amanda get all her clothes sorted into the various dressers and wardrobes they took her old clothes to storage, they wouldn't fit the other girls for a few years, if ever, so it would be sent to a suitable charity once they fund one.  
It reminded Takeshi that he needed to call a family meeting of sorts to talk about his plans to build a charity aimed toward the ghost children, but first he needed to go through last year's financial reports and make sure everything was in order.  
He could hear Dan snickering behind him and realized that the heavy sigh had not been as internal as he had intended it to be.  
“Sucks to be the boss, huh?”  
“You have no idea...”

It was one of his least favorite things to do, but someone had to do it, Kasumi took care of the day to day business of managing their assets, but in return she demanded that he took care of the end of year reports.  
Right now however Takeshi found himself praying that one of the girls would develop a love for financial management, or at least be willing become his assistant in handling it.

It was close to midnight when a soft knock on the door brought him out of the papers and a small flare of aura told him that Amanda was the one outside the door.  
“Come on in.”  
The door opened and he could instantly smell the sweetness of several traditional tea treats and when he looked up he was somewhat surprised to find that Amanda had brought a full tea set.  
When she began to go through the motions of the _Chad_ _ō_ he found himself instantly relaxing, he didn't know that she had been studying the tea ceremony and he had to admit, she had learned it really well.  
Watching her go through the familiar steps and feeling the deep aroma of a high quality _matcha_ being prepared into the thick _koicha_ was soothing and by the time it was offered he found that the stress of dealing with the financial reports had vanished.  
Along with the tea was a _hanabira-mochi_ , the sweet _wagashi_ traditionally served at the first tea ceremony of the year as well as a selection of beautifully crafted _namagashi_ and Takeshi had no doubt that she had made them herself from scratch.  
He had never had much of a sweet tooth but he found himself unable to refuse when she had obviously put a loot effort into making them for him.

“ _Arigatou gozaimasu._ I needed that. _”  
_ “Was it? Did I?”  
He couldn't help the smile when he realized what she was trying to ask.  
“You did great, the _koicha_ was amazing, the _namagashi_ was wonderful, beautifully crafted and well suited for the season. With a bit more confidence and experience the execution of the _Chadō_ will be perfect.”  
When he finished she was beaming at him, even when he added that if she really wanted to become good she needed to find out the preferences of the ones she intended to serve, telling her that he didn't have much of sweet tooth and preferred his _wagashi_ less sweetened or even something savory instead, promising her to teach her how to make a savory treat that looked just like the traditional _wagashi_.  
She stayed for a while, watching him work and occasionally asking him about what he was doing, but he could tell she had something else on her mind and after a while she seemed to make up her mind and ask the question on her mind.

“Take, before I go, could I...”  
There was a long pause before she continued.  
“Could I have some more blood? It's not a craving yet, just, well, it will be by tomorrow.”  
“Of course, come here.”  
When he held out his arm for her he noticed the slight disappointment in her aura and way her eyes were drawn to his neck and he decided to talk to her about it.  
“I know your instincts tell you to go for the neck, that it's the better way and they are right. However **my** instincts won't allow that so you will have to settle for this, or I can craft a chalice for you if that makes it easier.”  
“It's because you are _Alpha_ , right? And allowing that would mean submitting to me?”  
“That's right. I might be able to suppress my instincts enough if it was life or death situation, or with a trusted pack-member. But this is not life or death, and though I trust you, you are not pack. Not yet at least.”  
She nodded at his words and took the offered arm and let her fangs sink in.  
 _“But you like it when someone nibbles at your neck, don't you?”  
Of course she had noticed that part,_ Takeshi complained silently to himself.  
“I do, a lot actually.”  
 _“But your instincts don't rebel to that?”_  
“They do to some extent and that's part of what makes it _so effective_ , but in a way it also re-enforces my position as _Alpha_. Do you know why?”  
 _“Only the really strong could take the risk of allowing it? And doing it shows confidence in your position as Alpha?”  
_ “That's right. It also shows a high level of trust and it can be seen as a reward, a sign of favor to allow a pack-member such liberties.”

With nothing more to say he silently watched as she drank her fill but when she withdrew her fangs and leaned in toward his shoulder he froze slightly.  
“Manda?”  
He cautioned her but she didn't answer him, though her aura did settle down into a more submissive pattern that was enough to soothe his instincts and helped him keep still when she dragged her fangs along his shoulder and neck before stepping away.  
He slowly pulled his instincts back under control and settled his physical response as he watched her make sure the tea set was properly packed up on the cart before heading toward the door.  
“I won't give up you know.”  
She called in a low, teasing voice as she moved the cart out the door.  
“I know.”

 

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It was nearly two weeks later when Takeshi was finally done with the paperwork and it was time to have a word with their _guest_ downstairs.  
“Logan, Dan, any last minutes questions?”  
They both shook their heads and assured them they knew the plan before leaving to prepare for the questioning.  
Taking a deep breath Takeshi secured the hood and mask before stepping inside the small room.

“ _Alpha._ ”  
They both greeted him, bowing with their necks exposed and the Beast purred in delight at the sight even if it knew it was mostly an act to unbalance their guest.  
He gave them a short nod and pulled the mask and hood off and placed them on the small table before stepping over to the bars of the cage that held the surprisingly young woman.  
He could feel her tension spike when he opened the door and stepped inside the cell and Dan took up position at the door while Knight remained by the door that connected the room to the hallway.

“What is your name?”  
Takeshi kept his voice calm, but with a steel edge that made it perfectly clear he expected his words to be heeded.  
As expected she just glared at him and refused to answer, she clearly had guts, and he suspected, quite a temper.  
It was time for the part he hated, he would have to hurt her to make her talk, there was no point in offering warnings or giving her _chances_ , that would just delay things.  
He calmly took a step closer and gave her a sharp backhand that sent her to the floor with a split lip before turning to Dan and nodding for him to help her back onto the wall mounted bunk.

“Refusing to speak will not do you any good, I will get my answers and you will not like how I do it.”  
Once she was seated and Dan had returned to his position by the cell door Takeshi repeated the question, this time with a hint of power woven into his voice.  
“What is your name?”  
His question was met by a vicious glare, but she did answer him.  
“Valkyrie.”  
He could tell she was telling the truth, no doubt a code-name though but he would allow it for now.  
“Where were you trained?”  
“Fort Benning, Georgia”  
He could tell she was lying and with carefully measured strength he snapped out another backhand, hitting the other side of her face, once again drawing blood and sending her to the floor.  
“There is no point trying to lie to me.”  
After staring her down for a while he once again nodded for Dan to help her up.  
“Where were you trained?”  
“My father taught me.”  
He continued with a few more simple questions about her background before taking a break to clean her wounds and offer her some food and water.

“Keep still and I will clean those wounds.”  
She flinched slightly when Takeshi reached for her and while it was expected it did pain him that he had to hurt her to make her talk, he had considered just using _command_ on her, but somehow that had felt even more wrong.  
He carefully cleaned the cuts while she glared at him and once the blood was cleaned away he inspected them to make sure he hadn't done any real damage, the second cut was slightly deeper so he put a small piece of surgical tape over it to keep it closed.  
Instead of releasing her hands so she could feed herself he fed her the bowl of soup himself and he could tell from her glares that she was well aware of what he was doing, but knowing wouldn't do her much good.  
Once the bowl was empty and removed from the cell Takeshi resumed the questioning, but now it was time for the real questions.

“Why did you try to kill me?”  
“Any scum willing to work for those gangs deserves to die!”  
Her response puzzled him, he detected nothing but truth, but it wasn't making any sense.  
“A valid point, but why try to kill the guy taking them down?”  
“So what if you work for the competition? Those gangs are all just as bad!”  
And it suddenly made perfect sense, she believed that they had been hired by a rival gang to take out the gang they had attacked.  
“We were not hired to take them out.”  
“Yeah right! People like you don't go around taking out gangs just for fun.”  
“No we don't. We did it to avenge the suffering of a little girl named Amber.”

There was a ripple of shock through her aura and the mask of anger fell from her face.  
“You know what happened to Amber? Do know where she is? Is she okay, alive? What about her mother?”  
She seemed to have totally forgotten that she was supposed to be the one being questioned and Takeshi was struggling to keep a straight face and he could feel the others having similar issues behind him, she was a spitfire.  
“Enough, be quiet.”  
She instantly stilled and he could see the flicker of fear cross her face as she braced for another strike, the fear was replaced with confusion when he reached behind her and released her hands.  
“Amber is fine, she is upstairs with other girls rescued from a similar situation. Her mother was fatally wounded from prolonged torture when we found her. I ended her suffering myself.”

Stepping out of the room he brushed off Knight's questioning touch before turning to Dan.  
“She's not an enemy. Get her settled in a room for now. I'll talk to her more after she's had a proper night's sleep.”  
Her outburst had completely lowered her mental defenses and given Takeshi an excellent feel for her personality, for the real her.

“Come on _Valkyrie_ , let's get you settled in. He'll probably wanna talk to you bright and early.”  
At first she didn't react when Dan spoke to her and when he tapped her shoulder she jumped visibly.  
“Easy, we won't hurt you. Well, not more than we already have. I'm sure you understand we had to figure you out, you did after all try to put a pretty big bullet through our _Alpha's_ heart.”  
Her posture was still defensive but she nodded and followed him toward the elevator.  
“Now, I have to warn you. There's a group of girls living here who were saved from a human trafficker a while back and they pretty much worship the ground he walks on, especially the twins. They know you tried to kill him so don't expect 'em to be friendly.”

Dan showed her to a small room next to the one that Matthews and Eriko shared and sat her down to give her a rundown of how things worked around the estate.  
“Sorry about the sterile white, but it's an unused suite so we haven't bothered decorating it beyond the basic necessities.”  
He quickly headed to the small linen closet and grabbed some clean bedding and started making the bed for her while he spoke.  
“Emelie officially owns this place, but Kasumi runs it. I'm head of security and the big guy back there is the _Beta_.”  
She finally seemed to have had enough of being confused as she interrupted him.  
“Alpha, beta? Care to explain, don't they have names? Or am I not trusted enough to know them?”  
“Ah, sorry. Takes some getting used to.”  
Dan laughed before explaining.  
“People here are a bit, well, different. This estate runs on a pack-dynamic of sorts. At the core is the _Alpha_ pair, Takeshi Kiryu and Emelie Eriksson, Logan Knight is Takeshi's second, the _Beta_. He is in charge of protecting the pack when Take's not around.”  
“Wait, Takeshi Kiryu, as in the guy who took down the GCTI? I thought he was older...”  
“Oh he is, trust me. He looks damn good for 41 year old guy.”  
“No way that guy was 41, not a day over 30.”  
The absurdity of the entire thing seemed to finally allow her to open up a bit.

“I'm sure he'll explain it tomorrow. Now, as I mentioned, Kasumi, Take's adopted sister is the one who actually runs the place along with Eriko, Take's adviser and Thomas Matthews, an old acquaintance of Take's from the GCTI that helped him take it down.”  
He continued to give her a warning to be respectful in her behavior, especially toward Kasumi, Eriko and Takeshi as well as a warning that the group were very protective of the girls.  
After a small pause he added an extra warning that the _pack_ were _extremely_ protective of the twins.  
“Well, I will leave you to get cleaned up and get some sleep. Do you want me to bring in some more food?”  
“Could you get me some gruel?”  
“Any particular kind?”  
“Well, if possible wheat semolina cooked with milk, a bit on the thin side, with raisins and cinnamon. But any kind really, won't be able to eat anything more solid while my lips heal.”  
Her choice made Dan pause, the dish she described sounded very much like one of his own breakfast favorites.

“Yeah, sorry about that. Just be glad he's really good at pulling his punches and that he had no desire to actually hurt you.”  
“You call this pulling his punches? I have taken hooks from guys who knows how to fight that packed less of a punch than those slaps.”  
“If he didn't pull his punches you'd be dead after the first one. He used just enough force to give you a good scare, make it real enough for you to talk without actually doing any serious damage.”  
Her expression told him she didn't believe him, but she would soon enough as Takeshi would no doubt give her a bit of a show and tell in the morning.  
“Look, I know this confusing as hell. You don't know what to believe and have no idea who we are or what we're planning. And to boot you got this feeling that you're way too calm about all of it.”

Dan knew that Takeshi had put her under a weave of _command_ and _suggestion_ to keep her calm and it would keep affecting her until he released it.  
“I'll go make that gruel, the bathroom is through there. And don't even think about trying to run, we're on an island and there are several people here that can out-track a bloodhound. I'm sure you'll be free to go once Take has had his little chat.”  
When Dan returned with the food he could hear her in the shower so he just left the tray on the small desk along with a note telling her that if she needed anything else she could find him one door down the hall.

 

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It was shortly after dawn when Takeshi gave a sharp knock on the door of _Valkyrie's_ room, he didn't bother waiting for an invitation and simply stepped inside and walked over to the desk and put down the tray with breakfast.  
“I know you are awake so get dressed and eat, I'll be back shortly.”

There was an amused smile tugging at the corner of his mouth when he picked up on the annoyed shift in her aura, a smile that turned into a laugh when he heard the soft thud of a pillow hitting the door behind him along with a muffled string of curses in several languages.  
From what he had picked up from her during the interrogation along with her reactions now he had a feeling he would enjoy having her around if he could persuade her to stay and he had a feeling that she would hit it of well with Dan as well, Knight would no doubt agree with him and take great joy in teasing her.  
Quarter of an hour later he returned to _Valkyrie'_ s room and after another sharp knock he stepped right in and was greeted by a shriek and a flying towel as he had walked in on her getting out of the shower.  
Keeping a straight face he handed the towel back and took a seat in one of the chairs to wait for her to get dressed.

“Get out so I can get dressed!”  
She glared at him while hiding behind the towel.  
“I don't think so. I'm perfectly comfortable right here.”  
Agitation shifted through her aura but he didn't pick up much embarrassment, only tingling annoyance and after a few moments she seemed to realize he wouldn't be leaving.  
For a moment she looked like she was about to head back into the bathroom to get dressed, then she clearly thought better of it and gave him a solid glare before walking through the open arch into the bedroom.  
With an annoyed huff she began to get dressed, all while giving him a piece of her mind.  
“You really are a piece of work, you know that? Creep, lecher and a bloody pervert!”  
“Sticks and stones, _sweetie_.”  
He taunted with a grin, enjoying the sight before him.  
“Don't you sweetie me you jerk!”  
Her words brought a sharp pang of pain, he had no idea how many times Daniels had retorted with those exact words, even the same tone of exasperation mixed with a hint of amusement.

Pushing the pain away he settled down to enjoy the sight of her getting dressed, the young woman had a really nice body, fit and slightly on the muscular side indicating that she was used to physical labor, and the deep tan showed that she did most of her work outdoors.  
Based on her appearance, and the way she spoke, he guessed she normally lived at a farm or ranch somewhere in the southern parts of the US, probably Texas or New Mexico.  
He carefully filed the information away along with the rest of what he had noticed about her, so far he was liking what he was seeing, and not just her looks, but the temper and courage that she was showing.  
He had a feeling she was a woman he would be able to fall in love with, but he couldn't allow it to affect him, not now.  
He had more important things to deal with, for now he needed to prove to her that he had no intention to hurt her any more, and earn forgiveness and a measure of trust.

“Come here, I can fix those cuts for you if you let me.”  
Healing the damage he had caused her was a good first step on the way to proving himself, and it was a good way to open the topic of what he was.  
She was suspicious but she did step over to him, there was still a small flinch when he stood up and reached for her, but after what he had done the day before that was to be expected.  
Reaching for her lips he quickly used a claw to cut the pad of his thumb before brushing it across the cuts, allowing a small drop of his blood to coat each cut, he had a feeling she would react rather badly if he had used his tongue to heal them, though that could have been rather amusing.  
“There, that should do it.”  
He handed her a wet wipe and there was a stunned look at her face when she wiped at the cuts and the pain was gone, she did frown on the small amount of blood on the wipe though but it quickly vanished when she brought her fingers to her lips and found no trace of the cuts.  
“How did you?”  
For a moment the amazement at what he had done pushed the suspicion and fear aside, just like how her anger at his intrusion to her privacy had before.

“I can do a lot more than that, but we will talk about that later. Right now we need to talk about what to do about you.”  
“Your security guy said you would let me go, by why? I tried to kill you after all.”  
“It is all about why you did it. You tried to protect, to save those hurt by the gang and other gangs like them. You believed we were mercenaries working for the gangs so you took a shot at eliminating a big threat. I did the same with you, I just had the luxury of taking you alive. Besides, you might have tried to kill me, but I'm still alive.”  
“How is that by the way? That you are alive I mean. I'm an excellent marksman and I know I made a clean hit.”  
“You did, it was a perfect shot. Luckily for me the chest-plate on my body armor was tougher than your bullet so I didn't need to find out if I'm able to regrow a missing heart. Did hurt like hell though.”

He was doing a mental countdown to see how long it took before she caught on to the part about regrowing his heart but for now it seemed like she brushed it off as a joke.  
He told her about his own background, his time with the GCTI, a bit about the unit, he told her about finding the girls and taking down the GCTI.  
He was able to get a bit of information about her as well, her name was Jenna Addams and she was born and raised on her mother's ranch in the mountains near El Paso, Texas.  
She had also spent several years traveling with her father across the world in his work with wildlife conservation and she was a skilled tracker, hunter and survivalist.

“Well, it's almost lunch. You feel ready to join the rest of us in the inner garden, or do you want to eat in your room?”  
She looked uncomfortable for a moment and Takeshi knew she would choose to eat in her room.  
“I think I'll just eat here please.”  
“As you wish. Anything in particular you want? Or don't want, allergies or anything like that?”  
“Nah, just don't cook the meat to death and go easy on the rabbit food if that's okay.”  
“Rare steaks and hold the veggies, anything else Ms. Addams?”  
The wide grin and somewhat mocking bow earned him a frustrated growl as she threw another pillow after him as he retreated out the door.

Her show of temper was a good sign, it showed that she didn't fear him too badly and gave him good hope that he would be able to convince her to stay and let him earn her trust.  
The look on her face when he returned with a cart piled high with food had him suppressing a chuckle and when she dove in without hesitating he laughed and joined her which instantly incited fights over the choice pieces, another good sign.  
Takeshi engaged her in a more casual conversation while they ate and was able to pull some information about her food preferences, something he would make sure to take advantage of come evening to try to drag her out of the room.  
He had already spoken to Emelie over the bond to make preparations as it was a meal that would take a while to cook.

He continued to tell her about his time in Alaska, and this was where the tricky part began, it was a rather insane story after all, and in the end he opted to just give her a few demonstrations.  
He started by taking one of the sharp knives from the cart and slice deeply into his palm, letting her see it heal before her eyes.  
“Wait! Time out! You were being serious about regrowing your heart?”  
“I was, at least about the possibility of being able to do it. Even I don't know just how far my ability to heal goes. But as far as I understand it I can heal from pretty much anything short of losing my head.”  
It was a rather sensitive piece of information and he had decided to tell her as a token of trust, though, she wasn't really in a position to make much use of it.  
“Damn. This is insane...”

She would need time to deal but Takeshi decided it was time to put a few more cards on the table.  
“You might have noticed that you are feeling rather calm despite everything that has been going on?”  
“Yeah, I figure you have been putting something in my food or water to keep me calm, probably some sort of GABA enhancer like benzo.”  
“Actually we haven't. It's more like magic...”  
“You have got to be joking?”  
“How much do you remember about when you were captured?”  
“I remember fog, I'm guessing some kind of knockout gas. And I swear I heard a horse...”  
“You did hear a horse, well, kind of at least, it's not like any horse you have ever seen before. That fog is just a part of it's abilities. It's primary ability though is an ability to travel between realms.”  
His words led to another debate, and explanation about realms, demons and a few other things, along with a promise to let her meet Knight's steed.  
He had also explained how it had kept her sedated to keep her from losing her mind inside the in-between.

“However right now I am the one _encouraging_ you to stay calm. I found a long time ago that I could use my voice to encourage people to do what I wanted them to, later I learned how to add my Qi, my _power,_ into it and go from encouraging to actually forcing my will on others.”  
“And which are you using on me?”  
“A bit of both. _Suggestion_ to keep you calm, to encourage you to speak to me and to listen to me. _Suggestion_ can't force you to do anything, if there are things you don't want to do you will be able to resist it. But I have also placed a _command_ on you to prevent you from doing anything to hurt those under my protection. So far, no one has ever been able to break free of my _command_.”

As suspected she didn't believe him until he demonstrated his ability to make her do something by using his voice, a something that left him with an angry red mark on his cheek, maybe he shouldn't have made her kiss him but somehow her reaction was well worth it.  
“Now, I'm going to remove the _suggestion_ to allow you to fully process what has been happening. However, I hope you understand that I will leave the _command_ in for now. While I don't think you would do anything to them I won't take any chances.”  
“Yeah, protecting them seems pretty damn important to you.”  
After removing the _suggestion_ he continued to explain his change, the Blessing, the Mother, the task he had been given, only taking a short break when Dan showed up with an afternoon snack and a an update on the geological survey on the planned location for Knight's home.

“You guys don't talk much, do you?”  
It wasn't until Jenna spoke up that Takeshi realized that most of the conversation with Dan had been over the bond.  
“It's a kind of telepathy actually.”  
“Wait, you're telling me you can read my mind?”  
The spike of near panic had Takeshi laughing.  
“Don't worry, we can't actually read minds. It allows us to transmit the thoughts we want to share to others with the same ability.”  
“Thank God for small blessings.”  
“I wouldn't relax too much though. I am **very** skilled at reading a person's reactions and my enhanced senses gives me an extreme edge. I can see the slightest shift in posture, pupils, nervous tells and so on. My hearing is sharp enough to detect respiratory rate, heart rate, even changes in blood-pressure and my sense of smell can pick up the slightest shift in pheromones. But most of all I can feel your aura and how it shifts.”  
“So a master at cold reading?”  
“Indeed.”

As the afternoon moved toward evening he was able to get her to tell him why she was hunting the gangs.  
One of her younger cousin's had moved to New York in hopes to make it on Broadway but she had become a victim to the gangs and when the police didn't even bother to properly investigate the case, writing her of as another southern farm girl losing herself in the Big Apple, Jenna had decided to find justice for her on her own.  
She had stalked, investigated and hunted down the ones behind her cousin's death, the very same gang that Takeshi and Knight had gone after for their actions toward Amber.  
Takeshi recognized her cousins killer from her description, and as he told her exactly how the piece of scum had died at his hands he could feel a shift in her aura, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.  
“Thank you...”  
Nothing more was said and Takeshi watched her curl up on the bed and soon she was humming to herself and he reached out with his aura, carefully brushing against hers to allow her to get used to the feeling.

Takeshi could smell that the food was almost done out in the garden so it was time to try to talk Jenna into joining them for food.  
“Jenna, think you can handle coming out to the garden for some good old barbecue? I believe Dan and Logan managed to roast a whole lamb out there.”  
“You are totally setting me up, aren't you?”  
“I am.”  
He didn't bother trying to deny it.  
“You did mention your love for garlic and herb roasted lamb at lunch, and well, we always keep the meat-locker well stocked here.”  
“You had a whole lamb just laying around?”  
“Hanging actually, but yes. Along with quite a lot of other things. We always try to stock a minimum of a metric ton of meat.”  
“Damn, that's a lot of steaks.”  
Takeshi just hummed his agreement as he walk over to the window and opened it up to let the smells from the garden in.  
“Well, if you don't feel like joining us I think there's some chicken and bulgur salad left from lunch that I could have brought in for you.”  
“Okay, now you are just being cruel.”  
“Maybe.”  
There was a distinct stir of irritation and frustration when he turned around and offered her a wide grin and when she released a sharp huff followed by an exasperated sigh he knew she would agree to join them in the garden.  
“Fine, I'll come.”

 

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“Everyone, this is Valkyrie, also known as Jenna Addams and she will be staying with us for a while.”  
“She's the one who tried to hurt you?”  
Maria glared at Jenna while she spoke.  
“That's true. But she thought I was one of those who hurt Amber, and killed her cousin.”  
Takeshi explained with a soft tone, but the grumbling and glaring didn't stop completely, it would probably take quite a while for the girls to fully accept Jenna.  
“Sweetie, I understand this is hard for you, but I want you to give Jenna a chance. Let her prove herself. I believe she can be trusted, and I think she will fit in here just fine if given a chance.”  
“I don't like it...”  
“I know sweetie. But please, give her a chance, okay?”  
“Okay...”  
“For what it's worth I'm really sorry about that misunderstanding, but I will not apologize for shooting someone who I believed to be working for monsters who abuse the defenseless.”  
Jenna's refusal to apologize for shooting him elevated Takeshi's opinion of her, it would probably take a while before the younger girls understood the finer points of what she was trying to say though.  
But the fact that she didn't compromise and didn't try to dumb things down spoke well of her character.  
He was pretty sure she would have tried to explain what she meant if any of the girls had bothered to ask, but since they didn't ask, she didn't go into explaining herself, the girls would have to figure it out, or ask her.  
They would have a few weeks at least to figure it out as Takeshi had convinced Jenna to stay for a while to get to know them, hoping that she would fit in as well as he believed she would, and hoping to be able to convince her to stay on a more permanent basis.

“Okay, time for the rest of you girls to get to bed.”  
“Do we have to?”  
Alice grumbled slightly at the thought of having to drop the game of modified truth or dare that the younger girls had been playing to help getting to know Jenna.  
“Yes sweetie, human girls need to sleep. But you can skip your lessons tomorrow to get to know Jenna some more.”  
“Okay...”  
“Now run along, and don't forget to brush your teeth.”  
“I won't.”  
Watching Alice head toward her room Takeshi turned to Jenna.  
“How about we head down to the beach so you can meet Logan's steed?”  
“That sound like a plan.”  
“Can I come too? I wanna take a swim.”  
“Of course Manda, how about you Lissa?”  
“Nah, I'll stay and play some more.”  
“Okay, your choice. What about you Dan?”  
“I'll tag along.”  
Emelie, Kasumi and Matthews all declined in favor of continuing the game of 500, a rummy style card game that was popular in Sweden that they had been playing most of the evening.

“This place is amazing. Where did you get these walkway lights?”  
“We grow them, they are actually living plants. The gravel is a special kind of crystal that we also grow and alter into what we need.”  
“It looks amazing, like it's taken straight out of some fairy-tale.”  
“Well, that **is** the look we we're going for, the girls love that stuff.”  
Jenna continued to ask various questions as they walked toward the lagoon.  
“By the way, you people don't sleep much, do you?”  
“Not those of us that are, well, other than entirely human. Dan, Matthews and the girls, other than Manda and Lissa, still need their sleep. But the rest of us can go days, even weeks with little or no sleep.”  
“I guess living here can get rather interesting then.”  
“There are so many interesting things you can do with your time when you don't need to spend all night sleeping. ”  
He teased lightly which earned him a punch on the arm.  
“Pervert.”  
“What? Something wrong with hitting on a good looking woman?”  
Takeshi paused for a moment before turning around and grabbing Dan, and giving him a good smooch.  
“Or good looking man?”  
For a moment Jenna just stared at them.  
“You?”  
“Yes, I swing both ways. Most of us guys do”  
Takeshi focused tightly on her reaction to learning about that little tidbit.  
“If you have any issues with that, the Blackout is out this way.”  
If she didn't accept non-heterosexuals then the invitation to stay was rescinded.  
“Oh no, not at all. I'm just a bit surprised. So, most you said?”  
“Yeah, Matthews is all about the ladies.”  
“If you don't mind me asking, I thought you were with Em?”  
“I am. But I'm not just omnisexual, I'm also polyamorous. Other than Em, I have a sexual relationship with Dan, Logan and Sumi-ane.”

The revelation about his polyamory triggered another bout of questions, mostly about how it was to live in a poly-relationship and he took the time to thoroughly explain about the importance of openness and honesty.  
He spoke about the importance of the informed consent of all parties involved and as far as he could tell Jenna didn't seem to have any issues with that lifestyle either.  
There was also a sidetrack explaining his relationship with Kasumi and once again Jenna seemed to accept it without issues.

Once they arrived at the beach Knight let out the summoning whistle and Takeshi's instincts soared when Jenna stepped closer to him as the thick fog rolled in, instinctively seeking him out for protection.  
“Wow, that is one big horse.”  
When it fully emerged from the fog she did quite the double take and started rambling and cursing about how horses were not supposed to have horns and fangs.  
Her reaction to the steed had the others laughing though and after a few minutes Knight simply grabbed her by the waist and tossed her onto the steeds back and gave it a slap on the rump.  
The squeal when the steed took off like bat out of hell was part surprise, part excitement, but the way she instantly wrapped her hands into the mane and clung on like a burr told them it wasn't the first time she rode bareback.

“ _A bit risky, don't you think?”_  
Takeshi questioned him silently.  
 _“Not really. With the way she moved and looked at him it's obvious she's used to horses. Besides, he wouldn't have taken off like that unless he felt that her seat was solid.”_  
Takeshi just nodded and listened to the sound of hooves along the beach, and soon the sound slowed down for a moment before picking up speed again, heading back toward them.  
When he spotted them Jenna's seat had changed and she was grinning wildly and when the steed slowed down in front of them she slid if it's back with practiced ease.  
“That was amazing! I can't believe how fast he is, and such a light step despite being so big. Can I ride him again someday?”  
“Well, you have to ask him.”  
Knight nodded toward his steed with a smirk and when Jenna turned to look at it it simply nodded it's head at her with a soft snort.  
“Would I be correct in assuming that means yes?”  
“Mhm.”  
“Great! Looking forward to it.”

With her introduction to the steed done they walked over to the small jetty to allow Manda to go for a swim.  
Takeshi and Knight laughed at Jenna's reaction when Manda stripped out of her clothes and walked over to them without the slightest care for her state of undress.  
“Take, could I have a _drink_ before I shift?”  
He recognized the slightly glazed look in her eyes and her fangs were slowly growing longer.  
“Of course. I'm sorry I haven't been around today. But you could have come to Jenna's room and I would have taken some time to help you.”  
“No, it's okay. Talking to and explaining things to Jenna were more important. It was no problem for me to wait.”  
When he held out his arm to her shimmied into his lap and pulled it around herself before sinking her fangs in.  
“Whoa! Is she drinking blood?”

The reaction from Jenna was instant and Takeshi turned toward her to calm her down.  
“It's okay. She went through the change a few weeks ago, turning her from a human girl into something else, something more.”  
He shifted his seat slightly to move the very naked Amanda into a less _hazardous_ position which earned him a slight whimper of protest.  
“Her body is still adjusting to the change, and part of that is to build up an energy reserve, much like the fat and glycogen depots of the human body. But she needs a different kind of energy and the fastest way for her to build up a reserve is to consume the blood of creatures with power. Like me, Em, Logan, or Eriko.”  
Jenna still looked a bit apprehensive so Takeshi assured her she had nothing to worry about, and he also assured her that the bite didn't hurt him.  
The look on Jenna's face when Amanda slipped into the water and shifted into her new form was absolutely priceless.  
“She's a mermaid? Wait, if she's a mermaid, does that mean you are some kind of merman?”  
“I could probably manage it if I really tried, but I'm something else entirely.”

He backed his words up by taking the first form he had learned, the huge black wolf.  
There was a moment of wide eyed silence before Jenna's eyes rolled back and she passed out where she sat.  
 _“Oh well, I think she handled that pretty well.”_  
Takeshi huffed with a wolf grin while Dan gently moved Jenna into a more comfortable position, resting her against Takeshi's large, fur covered form before going to fetch a pile of blankets to make sure she wouldn't get chilled.

About 10 minutes later Jenna began to stir again and when she noticed that her pillow was alive she scrambled away in a hurry.  
“Take?”  
“Mhm, it's him, don't worry.”  
Dan quickly answered her question before she had a chance to panic.  
“He can't talk to you while in that form so I'll be relaying anything he wants to say. The first thing being that you don't need to be afraid.”  
When Jenna reached out toward him Takeshi allowed his instincts to stir, making his tail wag happily as he slowly moved forward and butted his head against her hand.  
It didn't take long before she was scratching his ears and cooing about how thick and soft his fur was.  
 _“You know she is going to kick your ass for that once she figures stuff out.”_  
Dan half scolded, half teased when Takeshi took the liberty of sniffing her rather thoroughly, and lick her face.  
 _“Oh I know. But it will be worth it.”  
“You know you're insane, right.”  
“Aww, don't be mean...”_  
The silent teasing continued for quite a while until Amanda surfaced from her swim.

“Enjoy your swim?”  
Takeshi quickly shifted so that Jenna would be able to hear their conversation.  
“Mhm.”  
“Is something wrong?”  
Takeshi was slightly concerned as she usually spent hours swimming without any sign of wanting to come back up.  
“Not really. I was just just wondering...”  
Her voice trailed away and she blushed slightly.  
“Come on sweetie, no need to beat around the bush.”  
“You have been telling me that I need to listen more to my instincts, and well, now when I was swimming along the reef I spotted a lobster and I felt this really strong urge to eat it.”  
“Well then you should eat it.”  
“I know... But they were really fast, and kept hiding under the rocks... And they were all sharp and spiny...”  
Takeshi couldn't help smiling at her frustrated complaints.  
“Well, they are called spiny lobsters for a reason.”  
“I know... I'm gonna need some help catching a few...”  
“Of course sweetie. We will need a few things to make it easier though.”

Normally Takeshi would have suggested wearing gloves when trying to catch spiny lobsters, but Amanda needed her webbed hands to swim effectively, also, handling the sharp creatures should encourage Amanda's skin to toughen up.  
“First of all, you would usually wear gloves to protect your hands, but I think your hands should toughen up on their own if you just handle the lobsters.”  
“So keep trying even if it hurts to encourage my body to adapt?”  
“That's right. I'll be using a shift as well instead of gloves, just to keep things fair.”  
“Okay.”  
“For getting them out of those crevices they love to hide in we need tickle sticks, and nets to catch them before they can dart away, though I do want you to at least try to catch them with just your hands, it's good practice.”  
“But they are crazy fast...”  
“I know they are, but you are a blessed, a mermaid, I'm sure you will be just as fast once you get used to your new form.”  
Part of what Takeshi had been working on with Amanda was her confidence and trust in her new abilities and instincts.

While Takeshi explained the basics of spiny lobster hunting Jenna took a seat next to Dan.  
“Is this a normal activity?”  
“Yeah. He's been spending a lot of time helping Manda get used to her new abilities. And stuff like this has been happening every few days, something triggers an instinct and he helps her deal with it.”  
“He really cares deeply about you guys, doesn't he?”  
“Yeah, he does.”  
“You're really in love with him.”  
It wasn't really a question, but he answered her anyway.  
“Yeah, I am. It's hard not to once you get to know him.”  
Dan looked at Takeshi with a somewhat wistful smile.

“Not only is he hotter than hell, he can be seriously charming when he wants to, and he's a tease.”  
“I've noticed..”  
Jenna's soft huff just made Dan smile.  
“You should know he is a very physical person, touching a lot, and when he gets emotional, kissing.”  
“Hmm?”  
“He's pretty bad at speaking about his feelings, so he tends to use kisses to relay his feelings when he's at a loss for words. And trust me, he can kiss...”  
“I see...”  
The nervous tone made Dan chuckle at her.  
“Don't worry. If you tell him not to he will respect it. He won't like it and it will stress him out at times, but he will respect it. There might be the occasional mishap, but he will beat himself up over it to no end.”  
“So he is truly honorable then?”  
“He is.”

Jenna watched Takeshi and Amanda disappear under the waves before turning to Dan again.  
“Since we're doing the tough and personal questions, are you guys religious?”  
The question made Dan do a double take, it was not a question he had expected.  
“Ah, not really. Like most Swedes Em and I are essentially agnostics, Matthews would probably be considered a habitual or cultural Christian, Take, Sumi and Eriko all adhere to Shinto traditions with a touch of Buddhism. As for the girls id say most of them are in the same category as Matthews.”  
Dan paused for a moment, trying to find the words to explain to her.  
“Things are a bit complicated for us though, we know the entities that the various God myths are based on are real, the Mother for instance, she is the basis for the Mother Nature type Goddesses, the Fates are real, 3 separate entities representing Past, Present and Future.”  
“And yet you claim to not be religious?”  
“Well, we know there is truth behind the myths, but we don't believe in, or adhere to, the myths and religion created based on those truths.”  
“So you believe in Gods, but not religion, especially not organized religion?”  
“I guess you could say that.”  
“Sounds like a reasonable position.”  
“Any other tough and personal questions?”  
“Politics?”  
The question made Dan laugh and shake his head.  
“Doesn't matter who you vote for, they are all greedy egomaniacs bought and paid for by the rich and powerful to make sure they stay rich and powerful. They don't give a shit about the people, they just want a sufficiently capable workforce that is stupid enough to believe their lies and happily keep voting, believing they matter.”  
“Ouch, not pulling the punches are we?”  
“You asked...”  
There was a moment of silence, then Jenna broke down laughing.  
“I like you.”

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Answers_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“ _Easy Manda, you need to calm yourself or your prey will sense your intent.”_  
Takeshi swam up next to Amanda, carefully examining the crevice in front of them to see if there was any other way out of it.  
 _“There doesn't seem to be any other way out so let's see if we can't tease it out of that hole.”  
“Okay.”_  
They had spotted a nicely sized spiny lobster and after Amanda had a few failed tries to catch it barehanded Takeshi brought out the net and tickle stick.  
 _“I got it!”_  
Amanda's excitement as she held up the net with their prey gave the water a distinct flavor, he couldn't really explain it but he could feel it in his gills as the water passed through them, and it made his instincts stir, made him smile at her..  
 _“That's good, now put it in the bag so we can look for another one.”  
“Okay”_  
Takeshi couldn't help laughing as she struggled to get the uncooperative lobster into the mesh bag.

They spent almost two hours hunting on the reef before surfacing to find Dan and Jenna half asleep, curled up under a few blankets.  
Dan looked somewhat dazed for a moment before focusing on the pair as the swam up to the pier.  
“How did your hunt go?”  
“It went great!”  
Amanda held up several mesh bags with lobsters as well as bags with other shellfish, squid and fish.  
“Nice catch.”  
Dan praised her catch while getting up and grabbing the bags to let her shift and get out of the water.  
“Jenna, care to give us a hand?”  
“Sure.”  
The moment she agreed Dan gave her a few of the mesh bags and indicated for her to follow him to the small shed at the end of the pier.  
While Dan brought out a small table and tools to clean the catch Takeshi and Amanda joined them with the rest of the catch.  
“Oh, those are really nice lobsters, can I have one?”  
Jenna watched as Takeshi poured the lobsters into a large tub to make it easier to grab them for cleaning.  
“Sure, here.”  
He grabbed one of the live lobsters and handed it to her with a smile, watching with avid curiosity how she would react to the squirming creature.  
She didn't say anything, instead she just gave him a glare, grabbed his dive knife, and pinned the lobster to the cutting-board then stabbed the knife into the shield and cut down through the head.  
Setting the knife aside she separated the tail from the head with a quick twist, then broke of the legs and set them aside before looking around for somewhere to put the head.  
“I really hope you guys don't waste the heads...”  
“Of course not, we pick them apart for all the good bits, and then the rest is boiled along with any other scraps into stock.”  
Takeshi held out a large tub for her to put the head in.  
“Good! I hate seeing perfectly good food being wasted.”  
“Indeed.”  
Her strong opinion about not wasting any part of the life taken further elevated Takeshi's opinion of her, and he could sense that she approved of their no waste approach.

“Manda, how are your instincts feeling now that you have caught yourself a live lobster?”  
Takeshi gently nudged Amanda.  
“I...”  
“Go on, no need to be embarrassed.”  
“I wanna just eat it as it is...”  
“Excuse me, am I missing something here?”  
Amanda's hesitance had Jenna curious.  
“Manda is having a hard time with her new instincts, they are telling her to eat it raw, alive, because she needs the pure life force, but she still has her human sensibilities holding her back.”  
“Oh, I see.”  
Jenna instantly turned to Amanda.  
“You should listen to your body, it usually knows the best.”  
“I know, it's just...”  
“Manda, I'm sure no one here will hold your needs against you. I know I won't.”  
There was another moment of hesitance, then Amanda grabbed the lobster and twisted the tail off the still living creature and bit down into the tail meat and pulled it out of the shell.  
Moments later the meat was gone and Amanda had an almost blissful smile on her face.  
“That good was it?”  
Jenna's tone was soft and teasing.  
“Mhm...”  
Before Amanda could say anything else Jenna voiced a rather embarrassed squawk as Takeshi grabbed her and kissed her.  
“Thank you for helping Manda give in to her instincts.”  
“I warned you he has a thing for kissing...”  
Dan's teasing only made Jenna splutter and grumble more, which made Amanda break down into pearls of laughter.

“Lobster sashimi... I've never had raw lobster before... Is it really safe?”  
“Don't worry, these are perfectly safe, I checked all of it to make sure.”  
“Guess I'll have to take your word for it.”  
They all watched as Jenna tried to wrangle the bits of lobster using the offered chopsticks without much success.  
“You are allowed to use your fingers.”  
Takeshi took pity on her after a few minutes of trying to get the unfamiliar utensils to cooperate.  
“Good riddance!”  
She instantly tossed the chopsticks aside and grabbed a few bits of lobster and gave them a quick dunk in the soy.  
“This is really good.”  
After the first bite she was more than happy to try all the different sashimi and sushi that Takeshi offered her, though she still insisted on having a nice grilled lobster tail dripping with garlic butter.

“As much fun as this is I am totally sneaking off to bed now.”  
Jenna had been yawning pretty frequently for the past hour so no one was surprised when she excused herself to head to bed.  
“Good night. Sweet dreams.”  
Once she had left Dan turned to Takeshi.  
“So, you seem to be pretty taken with her.”  
“Maybe a little. But so are you, aren't you?”  
“Maybe a little.”  
Dan quipped with the same teasing tone which made the others laugh and snicker at them.  
“She does seem like an interesting woman.”  
Emelie's agreement quickly triggered a long debate about Jenna and it didn't take long for them all to agree that they all had a very good feeling about her.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Answers_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Good morning gorgeous.”  
Takeshi walked into Jenna's room and pulled away the curtains.  
“Put a sock in it...”  
There was a round of grumbling, and hiding under the thin comforter before she peeked out and complained that is was way to early for his antics.  
“It's almost time for lunch.”  
“What?”  
“Mhm, I figured you could do with some extra sleep after everything that happened yesterday.”  
Sitting up she wrapped the blanket around herself and gave him a bit of a glare.  
“You have no intention of leaving and give me some privacy, are you?”  
“Well, there are a bunch of things I still need to talk to you about and I so hate to waste time.”  
“Asshole...”  
Her tone was amused frustration though as she walked past him and into the bathroom, leaving the door slightly ajar so she could hear him.  
“So, what's so important?”  
“For starters, you're a sniper, I would like to see how good you really are. And maybe talk you into giving lessons.”  
His request quickly splintered the conversation into a wide range of topics, and had Jenna so engrossed in the conversation that she didn't even notice that she walked out of the bathroom without a towel, giving Takeshi an excellent view as she walked into the bedroom to get dressed.

 

 


	6. Settling In

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Settling In_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

“Anything else you would like me to order for your room?”  
“I don't think so. I would love some of those glowing plants though, and regular green plants.”  
“That can be arranged.”  
“Thanks.”  
It had taken a few weeks to convince Jenna to stay but once she decided she settled in quickly, though the twins would still glare at her from time to time.  
“Let's go join the others at the beach.”  
“Is Susan going to be there?”  
“Probably.”  
“I'm really sorry, I've tried, but I just don't like her.”  
“I know, none of us does. But for some unfathomable reason Ethan loves her, so please, try to play nice.”  
“I will. I just don't like it.”  
“None of us do.”

Having Ethan, Susan and Nelly around caused quite a bit of tension since Susan was unable to handle the _uniqueness_ of the people at the island, she frowned upon their relationships, and she was unable to see the truth, even when Emelie stood in front of her with her demon traits visible, same with Eriko, she refused to see the tails and ears.  
Nelly on the other hand accepted them readily and she loved it when Eriko showed her her tricks whenever Susan wasn't looking.  
They would be staying for a while in order to work on the design for Knight's home but after just 2 days everyone at the island were about ready to snap.

“Take! I need a swim...”  
Amanda was complaining and Takeshi had to agree, she needed to use her abilities to make sure her body adapted properly, but as long as Susan was there they couldn't do things like they normally did and they would probably be there for another week.  
“Okay, how about we take the _Tiamat_ and head out, cruise the islands and chill out for a bit? You, me, Em, the twins, Lissa and Jenna. Stay out for a week or so, just long enough for Ethan to get his work done and head back.”  
“Please!”  
The suggestion was instantly accepted an hour later they were ready to head out.  
“Damn, this is one sweet boat.”  
Jenna had been looking at the _Tiamat_ from land and now that she was onboard she got a better feel for how big she was, and that had her rather slack jawed.  
“Actually she is classified as a ship not a boat. Boats are smaller than 45,7 meter, that's 150 feet, the _Tiamat_ is 49,6 meters, or 163 feet.”  
Jenna paused for a moment to stare at Takeshi before letting out a huffing laugh about boys and their toys.

“Sarah, Maria, you girls will be in the big cabin with Jenna.”  
There were an instant bout of complaints from the twins, but a low growl silenced them.  
“She is here to stay. You need to learn to accept that.”  
“But!”  
“She tried to kill you!”  
“You know that was a misunderstanding, she thought I was one of the bad guys but now she knows I'm not.”  
The whole point of putting Jenna with the twins instead of Melissa was to show them that he trusted her enough to let her take care of them.  
There was another attempted outburst of complaint but it was instantly silenced by a louder growl and a sharp nip to the ear.  
“Like unruly pups, huh?”  
The twin growls and bared teeth that answered her made Jenna laugh and tap them on the nose.  
“Bad puppies!”  
The utterly bewildered look on the twins faces had everyone laughing.

While everyone got settled into their cabins Takeshi made sure that the galley was properly stocked before heading up to the bridge to take them out of the lagoon.  
Once they were past the reefs he confirmed that the tender was following them properly before setting a course for a small island that he knew had a beautiful reef close by and he was sure Amanda would love exploring it.  
With the course set he walked out on deck and joined the others who had instantly started working on their tans, well, everyone except Jenna who was sulking off to the side.  
“What's the matter, _sweetie_?”  
She turned to him with a hiss and a glare.  
“As comfortable as I am with sharing Danny's wardrobe I kinda miss having a bikini.”  
They hadn't had time to go shopping for Jenna so she only had the clothes she had been wearing when she was captured, luckily she and Dan were close enough in size for her to borrow his clothes.

“Yeah, we do need to get you shopping, don't we?”  
“Yeah, that would be nice. But as you know I didn't carry a wallet when you grabbed me, So I kinda need to get to my deposit box and get my papers before I can do any shopping.”  
“Don't worry about that. As long as you are living with us I will make sure your needs are met. If I say we are going shopping, I fully intend to pay for it, within reason of course.”  
“So, shopping on your dime, I think I can live with that.”  
“You know, you don't **have** to get a bikini. I'm sure no one will complain if you get your tan in your birthday suit.”  
The teasing quip earned him a sharp punch to the jaw, Jenna had learned quickly that a slap just made him smile.  
He could of course avoid the punch if he wanted to, and sometimes he did just to rile her up, but most of the time he let it land if he had earned it, though, he had to admit, she threw a pretty good punch.

“Okay, no skinny dipping.”  
The intentionally **very** disappointed tone earned him a solid liver shot that made him grunt.  
“Girls, what do say we hit a city and take Jenna shopping?”  
They quickly agreed, on the condition that they head toward Maui and Kahului and that he take them all out for Guri-Guri ice cream.  
“Maui it is then!”  
He grabbed the tablet and quickly altered the course, and since it would be bringing them into one of the main channels he also cranked up the collision sensors to max, he would not take any chances, there were plenty of idiots cruising around.

Shopping was as crazy as ever and it did take a few reminders before Jenna stopped looking at the price tags and just bought whatever she wanted instead.  
“But you said within reason...”  
“Yes, and with that I meant that I refuse to pay a crazy markup just to have some flashy designer label on stuff if it's available in an equivalent quality at a normal price.”  
“Oh....”

Everyone was having a good time, though Takeshi did feel a bit like a punching-bag, but that might have something to do with the clothes he was suggesting to Jenna, who had a rather conservative taste in clothes.  
He did very much enjoy teasing her, she had a quick, street-smart wit and an even quicker temper, but it was a bittersweet enjoyment, she very much reminded him of his old unit.  
The same quick wit as Emelie's mother and the mercurial temper of Daniels, her interest in weapons and hunting brought Shani to mind and her love for a good meal and a stiff drink, along with occasionally somewhat foul language, echoed Ramirez.

“Come on girls, ice cream time.”  
As usual the twins seemed to see it as a challenge who could eat more and for once they had competition as Jenna dug in with just as much enthusiasm.  
“You know, I think they might actually have some pineapple flavor left.”  
Takeshi's teasing earned him a triple set of glares instead of the usual twin set and he couldn't stop the pleased grin from spreading across his face.  
“Are you girls ready to head back to the Tiamat, or do you want me to ask if you can lick the tubs?”  
“Daddy is mean!”  
The twins were really struggling to hide their smiles behind a pout, but they were failing miserably and the shake in Jenna's shoulders completely took the edge out off her glare while Emelie, Melissa and Amanda were bowed over with laughter.  
“Come on, let's get out of here so we can get to a nice place to anchor before it's time for dinner.”

He ushered the twins out the door while Emelie struggled between laughing and trying to get Melissa and Amanda to follow along and the moment they stepped outside the door he felt a tingle down his spine that alerted him to Jenna jumping on his back.  
He quickly shifted her into a more comfortable position and the not so accidental squeeze of her behind earned him a shriek and a somewhat uncomfortable squeeze of her thighs along with an attempted strangulation.  
“We want a piggyback ride to!”  
The twins instantly begged and with a bit of help from Emelie they soon found themselves carried by Amanda and Melissa, though they did pout and complain that Takeshi was a much more comfortable ride.  
Takeshi was just happy that they had brought all the bags down to the tender before they went for the ice cream or he would have had a bit of a problem at the moment.  
“You know, a girl could get used to this.”  
Jenna practically purred into his ear when he jumped onto the tender and for a brief moment his common sense fought against the urge to drop her into the water, unfortunately for Jenna it was a fight that was quickly lost.  
The rather colorful language that followed had Melissa and Amanda covering the twins ears while Emelie just leaned over the railing and shook her head.  
“I told you he's horrible...”

Takeshi just ignored the indignant spluttering and offered Jenna a hand to pull her up, which she accepted only to try to pull him down with her, and curse even more when it failed and he just smirked and lifted her out of the water like she weighed nothing.  
Once he had Jenna securely on the deck he turned to Emelie and silenced her laughing with a searing kiss, intentionally brushing raw power against her aura to make sure to light a certain fire and not backing off until the peppermint in the air was strong enough for even Jenna and the twins to notice.  
“Yep, definitely horrible!”  
Emelie half muttered, half moaned when he pulled away to help the twins get strapped into their life jackets before taking the helm and bringing them back out to the _Tiamat_.  
Both of them were strong swimmers, but Takeshi insisted that they wear inflatable life jackets anyway, mostly since they could get knocked out if the fell into the water from one of the upper decks.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Settling In_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Jenna, do you have any experience with tank diving?”  
Takeshi was preparing to take Amanda and Melissa down to the reef and decided to check if Jenna wanted to come along for a while.  
“Not as much as I would have liked. It's kinda expensive.”  
“How would you like to try an upgraded version of the military's closed circuit gear?”  
Takeshi had been working on one of the diving gears to see if he could make it smaller, more suitable for the twins to use while also adding to the dive time and overall safety of the equipment.  
“Really? I'd love to!”  
“Well, come along then and I'll give you a hand getting into it.”

It still looked like the standard rebreather gear but inside the flat tank there wasn't much similarity anymore.  
Takeshi had removed most of the insides, the tanks were replaced with a series of crystals from the Sanctuary, a larger hollow crystal contained various micro-algae and plankton that had been specially created by the Mother to generate the components needed for a suitable breathing atmosphere while being able to adapt the mixture depending on the needs of the individual breathing it.  
“It's so small. Even if it's a rebreather, it won't last very long, will it?”  
“Actually, the tank will last longer than you. You will have to go up due to the stress on your body before you need to worry about running out of air.”  
The plankton and algae in the tank worked in a close symbiosis with each-other and the only thing they needed was water, warmth and light, water was taken straight from the ocean through micro capillary action and light was generated by specialized crystals that acted like miniature suns, feeding them all the light they needed while keeping a suitable temperature.  
Those crystal drew their energy directly from the flow of life-force of the planet itself, as long as the planet lived they would keep working.

“Here, take deep breaths, it will take a minute or two for the system to fully adjust to your body.”  
Takeshi used his aura to keep an eye on the process while asking Jenna to confirm the readouts on the HUD inside the mask as it went from red through orange and yellow before settling on green to indicate that the system was ready and running optimally.  
“Keep an eye on that indicator, if the color changes from green back toward yellow or orange you need to pause and take deep, calm breaths. This will allow it to recalibrate to ensure optimal mix. If it goes to red, I need you to push this button and I will come check what is wrong.”  
He gave a quick walk-through of the other indicators on the HUD before turning his attention back to Amanda and Melissa who were getting rather antsy waiting for Jenna to get suited up.  
“Okay Lissa, you first. Let's see your dolphin form first.”  
Melissa nodded and slid into the water before allowing the change to take over and a minute later Takeshi was splashed with water by the powerful tail-fin before the head appeared with an obvious laugh.  
“Yeah, very cute Lissa. Now, how about something less mammal.”  
She nodded and with another shimmer the dolphin was slowly replaced by her human form, and then a gray reef shark swimming lazy circles around the boat.  
“Okay that's good. Try to work on the speed of your shifts and you need to try shift directly between the forms without returning to your human form between.”  
“Manda, you're next. Show me a few full shifts before you take your normal form.”  
He watched her shift through a few different forms before taking her _mermaid_ form and sliding up on the platform to brush up against him.  
“Your turn Take, show us what the Chosen can do.”

Deciding to show off a bit Takeshi started by jumping up and taking the form of an albatross and circling a few times around the boat before executing a sharp dive into the water and instantly shifting to the powerful blue marlin, swinging around below the boat to pick up speed for a jump.  
Leaving the water in the form of the marlin he instantly shifted and landed in the form a dolphin and gave Amanda and Jenna a splash for good measure before shifting into an eagle ray and sliding up on the platform where he shifted though a few forms, including a turtle and a monk seal before retaking his human form.  
“Meh, you have more experience, of course you're gonna be faster!”  
Amanda complained as he showed off his ability to rapidly shift between forms.  
“You are doing great Manda. But keep practicing, a quick and accurate shift might save your tail one day.”  
Giving said tail a teasing slap earned him a hiss and a set of numb red marks on his cheek courtesy of Amanda's claws and venom.  
Leaning in he whispered that maybe she should hold the venom next time since it did sort of counteract the point of the slap, then he gave her a quick peck at the corner of her mouth before pushing her off the platform.  
Once she surfaced she glared at him for a moment before diving down and giving him another splash of water.

“Okay Jenna, let's get you in the water.”  
He quickly went over the gear and helped her make sure the wet-suit as well as fins, webbed gloves and mask were well fitted before helping her into the water.  
“I won't be able to talk to you once we go below since I'm not wearing any gear. But I will hear the alarm if you push it and I know American sign language so we will be able to communicate.”  
“How did you know I know sign language?”  
“You talk a lot when you are drunk...”  
She gave him a huffing smile before giving him the _OK_ signal followed by a thumbs down as she began her descent.  
Takeshi quickly pulled on his own gloves and fins before diving down and letting the shift adapt him to breathing underwater and at Jenna's somewhat concerned look he pointed toward the gills on his neck and sides of his rib-cage and giving her the _OK_ and she gave him a rather wide eyed nod.  
It would seem she hadn't noticed he dove without gear during her first night with them.

They spent most of the day swimming along the reef and now Takeshi decided it was time to get Jenna out of the water, they had only taken a short break to eat and she was beginning to show signs of exhaustion but she was too immersed in having fun to pay attention to the signs.  
 _“Lissa, Manda, I'm taking Jenna up, make sure you come up in time for dinner.”  
“Okay!”_  
Swimming over to Jenna he signaled her to start the ascent, thanks to the way the algae and plankton worked to constantly adapt the gas mixture Jenna would need very little decompression, as long as they made a slow ascent she should be fine, though Takeshi did monitor her constantly.  
He himself didn't need any decompression at all since his shift didn't only give him gills, but adapted his entire system to being underwater.

“So, how did you like the dive?”  
He quickly helped her get out of the gear and handed her a bathrobe.  
“It was awesome! And that gear, I barely noticed I was wearing it.”  
“Good. I will have one made and fitted for you. This one is my old one that I have been experimenting with.”  
“You are going to spoil me rotten.”  
The teasing tone did not match the obvious happiness radiating through her aura.  
“Well, can you think of a better way to get a girl to stick around?”  
“Ugh, you are utterly incorrigible!”  
“And that's what everyone loves about me!”  
There was a huff and a groan as a well placed elbow reminded Takeshi that gills are very sensitive and that he really should remember to shift them away the moment he left the water.  
He quickly shifted and with a shake of his head he followed Jenna toward the sundeck where he could hear Emelie and the twins playing around.  
“Ah, Take, Jenna, welcome back. Where are Lissa and Manda?”  
“They are still down there, they will be back for dinner.”  
“Are you sure it's safe?”  
He could feel the shift of worry in Emelie's aura and he quickly reached out to soothe her.

“Don't worry, sweetie. Their forms are stable and there are no other people nearby. The _Tiamat's_ systems will alert us if any boats or subs come close and the pod is circling the area. They will help keep away any predators that might be a risk and they can tell if divers that the _Tiamat_ might have missed are coming into the area.”  
“I still don't like it.”  
“I know sweetie. But they need to learn to manage without us.”  
He pulled her close and nipped her ear to bring her attention away from the darker thoughts she was entertaining.  
“They will be fine, they are Blessed. It's not easy to truly harm us.”  
“I know...”  
She was about to say something more but was interrupted by the twins throwing themselves at her and Takeshi.  
“Okay girls, how about we head to the galley and start getting dinner ready?”  
“Are we having seafood tonight?”  
The twins were looking at him with hope written all across their puppy dog eyes.  
“Not tonight, we didn't do any fishing today. But I'll make sure we catch plenty of treats tomorrow, okay?”  
The initial disappointment was instantly replaced by an excited joy.  
“When can we come catching things with you?”  
“I need to make a diving kit for you girls before you can do that. I will start working on those when we get back. But you can always help out by taking the rods and catching some fish.”  
“Okay, we will.”  
He quickly ushered them toward the galley before heading down into the storage area to get some of the ingredients stored there.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Settling In_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Jenna, could you give Take a hand with finishing up the side dishes while I try to wrangle the girls into setting the table?”  
“Sure, good luck rounding them up. Let me know if you want a few pointers from a ranch girl.”  
Jenna popped in to the galley with a grin as Emelie left to round up the girls so that they could set the table and fire up the grill and griddle.  
“Could you check the _masa_ while I get these vegetables prepared for the grill?”  
Takeshi continued to pull the husks and silk off the corn while he spoke, setting the cobs aside into a woven basket while placing the husks into a bucket with water, they would be used to make wraps for the grill.  
“Oh, real chili, tortillas, BBQ corn, and all these yummies. You better have everything needed for some nice quesadilla here.”  
Jenna was flitting around among the various bowls and platters, checking everything before turning her attention to the huge bowl of _masa_ , corn dough, for making tortillas.  
“Of course I have, I just haven't gotten around to preparing it all yet.”  
Takeshi put the last cobs into the basket before handing it to Jenna.  
“Most of the stuff will be prepared at the table, no use wasting fresh vegetables by chopping more than we need. If you could take that out to the deck I will go get what we need from the cold storage”  
“Sure.”

When Takeshi returned with the various tubs of marinated meat Jenna had already carried the rest of the items out to the deck and was waiting to give him a hand with the meat.  
“Oh, this is starting to look really promising.”  
She quickly checked the various tubs, sniffing and sampling the beef marinades.  
“This is just the grill meat, the rest of the meat is already cooking.”  
“Oh?”  
“Come on.”  
Heading out to the sitting area Takeshi put the tubs down before lifting one of the work surfaces, revealing several large boilers filled with meat simmering in its own fat.  
“You may actually have a clue how to make genuine Mexican tacos, you even have _Chicharrón_ here.”  
“Of course.”  
“Is that a lamb head?”  
“It's _Cabrito_ actually.”  
Takeshi was slightly surprised when telling her that the boiler contained a young goat made Jenna jump into his arms and hug him tightly.  
“I take it you approve?”  
“Of course I do! I haven't had real tacos in like forever. On Mom's ranch we always end the work season with a huge feast, with good old rustic comfort food and since most of the seasonal workers are Mexican one of the main features is always real tacos.”  
“I trust you know how to turn that masa into tortillas then.”  
“Of course.”  
“Then you are on masa duty with me and Em can man the grill for veggies and meat.”  
“Okay.”

The twins were curious about the unusually spicy food and quickly took to the hot chili and explored the various toppings with their usual enthusiasm.  
“Girls, slow down and let the rest of us have some as well.”  
Takeshi stopped them from snatching the tortilla the moment he lifted it from the griddle.  
“Well stop being so slow!”  
Maria tried to steal the tortilla anyway and found herself face to face with bared fangs and a growl and she instantly tucked her head.  
“Sorry...”  
“There is plenty of food for everyone, but you need to slow down and let everyone get a chance to get some, you can have more once everyone else had another.”  
Takeshi scolded her gently while adding more dough rounds to the griddle.  
“Okay...”  
Maria's frown however vanished instantly when Jenna dropped half a quesadilla on her plate and then quickly dropped the other half on Sarah's plate.  
“What do you say?”  
Em scolded gently which made both of them duck their heads.  
“Thanks.”

With dinner out of the way they settled down to the usual games and casual talking before sending the twins to bed, and once they were sleeping the topics turned a bit more _mature_.  
“You know Em, you never explained what it is you are.”  
Jenna was watching Emelie trying to tease Takeshi into one of their usual romps with avid curiosity.  
“Like this tail of yours, it there, but it's not...”  
She reached out and grabbed the tip of Emelie's tail which caused her to instantly freeze and hiss.  
“Oh, sorry, did I hurt you? I didn't mean to.”  
Takeshi couldn't help laughing, unlike Jenna his nose was sensitive enough to pick up on the increased potency of the telltale peppermint when Jenna grabbed her tail.  
“Don't worry, you didn't hurt her. Use your nose, can you tell what you are smelling?”  
His voice held a teasing tone that grew into a chuckle as Jenna carefully sniffed the air trying to figure out what he was referring to.

“Peppermint? Something smells like peppermint. Is that what you mean?”  
“Indeed. Emelie isn't human and one of the ways you notice that is that her pheromones smell different. Peppermint is a primary sexual pheromone for her.”  
Jenna instantly looked toward a somewhat miffed looking Emelie.  
“Wait! You mean you smell like a candy cane when you get horny?”  
The blunt question had everyone save for Jenna and Emelie laughing and a few moments later Jenna seemed to realize the implications of what Takeshi had told her.  
“Oh. You mean touching your tail... Oh...”  
Emelie was about to answer her when Takeshi snatched her tail and gave the bladed tip a sharp nip which instantly flooded his senses with peppermint before she spun around with a hiss and pounced him.

“Well, we might as well head to bed, those two won't be coming up for air for a few hours.”  
Melissa shook her head with a laugh before getting up and heading toward her cabin.  
“Don't worry Jenna, this is normal for them, they have been keeping a low profile with the unfamiliar faces around, first you, and then just as he is getting comfortable with you we get Susan in the mix. Take takes the whole protection thing very serious, us girls, the estate, his _pack_. All of it. This just means he's feeling safe enough to relax a bit. ”  
Amanda took the time to explain a bit about their behavior, about Emelie's need to feed and Takeshi's need to protect.  
“You wish you were Em right now, don't you Manda?”  
Something in the way Amanda watched the couple in front of them gave Jenna a glimpse into her heart.  
“I do.”  
With a wistful smile she got up from the pile of pillows and headed in, leaving Jenna alone with the couple who at the moment seemed unaware of anything but each other.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Settling In_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Jenna woke up to the twins' impatient chattering and quickly got up to make sure they wouldn't get too bored and get themselves into mischief.  
“How about we go prepare some breakfast? I'm sure the others will be up soon.”  
The twins just glared at her and ignored in favor of playing with their familiars.  
“Come on girls. I'm going to need a hand if I'm gonna be able to make a stack of pancakes that even Take won't be able to eat his way through.”  
“Can we make Swedish pancakes? Mom don't like them thick.”  
“Well, we can try. You will have to teach me how to make them.”

Jenna suspected the twins might be trying to trick her, the batter seemed much to runny but after a few tries she ended up with something that looked like a crepe and once she got the hang of it she was stacking them up quickly.  
But she realized she would be there all day if she was going to make enough of those to feed Takeshi so she made a few bowls of good old southern buttermilk pancake batter as well, each bowl with a different flavor added, fresh berries and fruits, a piece of baking chocolate was quickly grated into one of the bowls and she also made a few more savory versions including one with bacon and one with left over masa.  
She was suddenly glad that her parents favorite punishment had been having her make breakfast for the entire ranch, she knew how to make food for a lot of hungry men.  
When the others joined them the table was filled with various bowls of toppings and batter and the twins had helped her remove the grates from the grill and replace them with griddles to give more space for making pancakes.  
“Oh, real pancakes!”  
Emelie made an instant beeline for the pile of thin pancakes and grabbed a big stack, along with the bowl of lightly whipped cream and one of the smaller clean bowls where she mixed blueberry and raspberry jam before returning to her seat.

After breakfast Takeshi played with the twins in the shallow lagoon of the small atoll where they had anchored for the night, and he called out for the pod and introduced Jenna to the Blessed dolphins.  
The pod had agreed to stay in the lagoon with Emelie, Melissa and the twins to help keep them entertained, and safe, while Takeshi took Amanda and Jenna down to the reef to catch dinner.  
“So, Jenna. Are you ready to learn how to catch dinner down there?”  
“As long as these perverts don't join us!”  
She was trying to push away two of the young males from the pod who were being rather amorous.  
“They are dolphins, what did you expect?”  
“More _Flipper_ , less X-rated?”  
She gave one of the overly friendly males a hard shove only to end up with the other one sliding against her back but before she could turn around to try to chase it off a huge black body brushed by and gave it a hard shove with a short black and white snout before circling slowly around her.  
“I really hope that's you Take...”  
A few moments later the large orca was replaced by Takeshi's familiar grin.

“That should keep them away for a while. They have a certain measure of respect for _shifters_.”  
“So they can't change like you, Lissa and Manda do?”  
“No. But they are smarter, faster and stronger than a normal dolphin. And they can live for several hundred years.”  
“Well, thanks for chasing them off, they were getting just a bit too frisky”  
“No worries. Now, how about I show you the new toys you will be using today?”  
He held up the bandoleer with its CO₂ cartridges and a small pneumatic speargun.  
“Oh, looks interesting!”  
“The gun is pretty basic, load a dart and press the trigger. It can run of these small CO₂ cartridges or you can connect a hose to a larger tank. These cartridges however are floaters, each contains a small balloon and a CO₂ cartridge.”  
He handed her a leg-harness with tightly packed mesh bags.  
“Take these mesh bags, put your catch inside, secure the tie and hook on a cartridge then push this button until you feel it click and see the balloon start to fill, then just let it go. The others will collect them on the surface.”  
Jenna nodded and took the items that Takeshi handed her before going to the box where the wet-suit and equipment was kept.

“Mind giving me a hand with the wet-suit? It's a bit tight.”  
Takeshi quickly helped her with the wet-suit and the gear, making sure the harness and holster wouldn't get in the way and could be easily released in case it got snagged on something.  
“I'll get you one that's properly fitted when we get back.”  
A few minutes later he was strapped into his own gear, opting for a more powerful, hose-fed speargun, even if it meant having to carry a tank.  
The one he had given Jenna could only take down smaller fish and he was hoping to add a few larger items to the catch.  
“Let's go then. Manda! Time to go.”  
When they returned to the _Tiamat_ for the last time of the day Takeshi was silently cursing to himself, and promising himself that the moment they got back he would bring Jenna to the Sanctuary and get her a familiar.  
While her knowledge of sign language did help a lot he still found it extremely annoying to not be able to communicate freely while they were diving.  
Of course he _could_ have put on one of the dive-masks himself just to get access to the radio, but he really hated those things with a passion.

Dinner did lift his spirits though, especially the little _apology_ from the two young dolphins that had been harassing Jenna, they had hunted down a nicely sized bluefin and herded it back to the lagoon.  
“Hey, if that's an apology for what they did to **me** , shouldn't **I** be the one enjoying it?”  
Jenna made a dive for the plate filled with prime Otoro sashimi but was blocked by Takeshi's chopsticks.  
“Not really. After all, they are apologizing to **me** for taking a few too many liberties with one of **my** females.”  
Takeshi did intend to share the prize sashimi with anyone that wanted some, but with her reaction he just couldn't resist teasing her.  
And in a way what he was saying was true, when he stepped in and chased off the young males he made a claim on her, most pack animals would only protect siblings, offspring and mates or potential mates.  
The Blessed dolphins of the pod were still animals at heart, and with his intervention he basically said _She is mine!_ and the apology was presented to him as the alpha, no disrespect was intended toward her, the way he worded it though was sure to fire up her temper.  
He would of course explain to her, later, after he had his fun.

“Okay, that's enough!”  
Apparently almost knocking over Emelie's glass of wine in the ensuing scuffle was a bad move and Takeshi and Jenna were now facing a somewhat pissed off succubus, wings flared and tail lashing behind her.  
“Take stop teasing her and Jenna, he's just trying to rile you up, don't give him what he wants.”  
“I think we better do what she says. She can get a bit scary.”  
Takeshi suggested with a wide grin, he wasn't the least bit sorry about disrupting dinner with a bit of a scuffle though.  
“You just don't want to end up in the dog-house...”  
The huffed response from Jenna was rather accurate.  
“That too...”  
He hummed in agreement, only to groan when Jenna placed her knee in a particularly sensitive spot as she got up from the deck.  
The slight chuckle and grin told him it was perfectly intentional and he would give her a payback for it, but that would have to be later or he really would end up in the proverbial dog-house.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Settling In_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“She seems to be settling in nicely, despite your constant teasing.”  
Emelie was tracing the tattoo over Takeshi's heart as she spoke.  
“How am I supposed to resist that temper?”  
He caught her tail and gave it a nip.  
“But you are right, she is settling in really well. When we return I will bring her to the Sanctuary so she can receive a familiar.”  
“Hmm, what do you think it will be?”  
“I don't know, but I bet it will be something aggressive.”  
“You might have to learn to play nice with her then.”  
Emelie's laugh was teasing, telling him that she knew perfectly well that he would never stop teasing, it was his very nature.  
When he was comfortable, relaxed, he teased and he enjoyed the responses he was able to bring out, it didn't matter if the response was good-natured aggression or humorous frustration like in Jenna and the girls, or like with Emelie, Dan and sometimes Knight, desire.  
He would always read the aura of those around him, making sure everyone was safe and healthy in both body and mind, their reactions to his teasing gave him another tool to read them with, to make sure everyone was okay.  
It could alert him to changes that were still too subtle for him to pick up in their auras.

“She is quickly becoming a skilled diver, maybe we will be able to bring her with us when it is time to seek out Atlantis.”  
“You would have to change her before that, wouldn't you?”  
“I would, and I think she would welcome it. She has a strong desire to protect those that can't protect themselves, especially animals. She would make a good Blessed, a good addition to the cause.”  
“And a good addition to the pack.”  
Emelie added when Takeshi did not.  
“If she wants it.”  
“I think she will.”  
He didn't answer her, not with words at least, he just let his agreement flow through his aura, brushing against hers and when her aura opened up to him, inviting him he slowly and carefully pushed deeper toward the very core of her being, her soul.  
He could feel the Beast stir slightly within and he knew he had to talk to Emelie, and soon, about pack instincts, and about _mates_.  
He added it as yet another item on his mental list of things to do when they returned to the island.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Settling In_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

They had been away for ten days when Takeshi felt a familiar, but slightly different pull on his mind as Dan reached out over the bond to let him know that Ethan and his family had left the estate.  
Takeshi decided to take a bit of a detour on the way back, stopping at Honolulu for two days to allow Jenna some more, proper, shopping before they returned to the estate.  
“Don't worry about finding everything you need. After Logan's house is done I'll take you to New York to get your stuff and we can spend a few extra days so you can do some shopping there too.”  
“Okay.”  
“And you're welcome to order stuff online as well if you want to.”  
“Oh, you sure you wanna go there? Maybe I'm a compulsive netshopper?”  
“Somehow you don't come across as the type.”  
“Oh, you never know.”  
Their conversation quickly fell into a comfortable, friendly, bickering and teasing that made Emelie and the others laugh and tut at them.

“Welcome back guys.”  
As usual everyone was down by the lagoon when they returned, to greet them and to help unload the _Tiamat_.  
“Hello gorgeous.”  
Takeshi greeted Dan with a tight hug and a deep kiss before greeting the others in turn, a brush of aura, a touch, a quick hug or kiss, all depending on their personality and needs and it felt good to be able to feel them all clearly again.  
After giving some instructions to Dan about the unloading of the _Tiamat_ Takeshi turned to Jenna.

“Jenna, there is something I would like to show you. Would you come with me please.”  
She quickly nodded and jogged slightly to catch up to his longer stride and he could feel Knight joining them as well.  
“Is this the Sanctuary you mentioned?”  
Jenna was looking at the large jacaranda tree that was the entrance to the Sanctuary.  
“It is below us. Come, this way.”  
He watched with a smile as Jenna went through the usual reaction to the unique environment of the sanctuary.  
“Are those fairies?”  
“They are sylphs, elemental wind spirits. The larger one is Aellai, _whirlwind_ , and the others are her daughters. We met them in the Black Forest in Germany and she decided to come along. They have been living down here so that her little ones can get used to the energy of this island.”

The young sylphs flitted closer in curiosity and it was the first time Takeshi had seen them flying around, away from the safety of their planter filled with lily of the valley.  
He held out his hand and when one of them landed he carefully brought his hand closer to get a better look at her, she was a tiny thing, about half the length of his thumb and she looked like a 4 maybe 5 year old girl, her wings fluttered restlessly behind her.  
He slowly turned his hand to get a closer look at the wings, they had the shape and color patterns of a butterfly but he could see through them, like the wings of a dragonfly and with some gentle coaxing he managed to get the tiny sylph to keep still for a moment and show of the shimmering wings, 3 sets of beautifully patterned wings vibrated slightly and after a few moments she lost her nerve and fled back to the safety of her mother.

“They are amazing.”  
Jenna's voice was barely a whisper and he nodded his agreement.  
“You should see their mother when she is upset, or protecting her young. She makes good on her name, creating her own little tornado.”  
“Knowing you that must have happened a few times.”  
Jenna teased softly.  
“Only once. I scared her pretty bad when I shattered her winds, she was scaring the twins and the winds could have hurt them so I had to act fast. I probably used quite a bit more power than needed so now she is wary of me. I'm hoping she will learn to trust me, or at least not to fear me.”  
“Well, it can't be that bad since she let the little one come so close, even sit on your hand.”  
Jenna did have a point, Aellai might still fear him, his power, but she trusted that he would not harm her daughters, aware that he was not a threat to them.  
“Perhaps you're right.”  
“Of course I am.”  
“Mhm...”  
He slowly ushered Jenna toward the annex where the Soul-tree waited for them and with a gentle brush of aura he asked permission to enter and he instantly received an inviting feeling telling him it was okay to bring her in.

“This is the Soul-tree, the source of the energy that allows this place to exist.”  
 _ **“Welcome little guardian, huntress of those who prey on the defenseless.”**_  
Jenna nearly jumped into his arms when the voice of the Mother chimed through the flowers.  
“That is the voice of the Mother.”  
“Mother of what?”  
It took a few minutes before Jenna had calmed enough to speak, and meanwhile Takeshi could feel the amusement shift through the small chamber.  
“Everything. She **is** life itself.”  
“Wait, Dan mentioned that, She's the source of what you and the others are, right?”  
“Yes. I brought you here to meet Her, and to get you a familiar so that we can communicate when words are not possible.”  
“Like when we're diving...”  
She caught on immediately as he knew she would.  
“Or when I'm shifted into a form that can't speak.”  
“How do we do that?”

Takeshi quickly explained the process, and while she was a bit hesitant about the giving of blood she held still as he cut open her palm and she stared with amazement when he healed the cut with a quick lick.  
“Good thing you didn't try to use that method om my lip...”  
“That would probably have been quite painful...”  
His smirk told her she probably didn't want to know how he had done it  
“It kinda tickles, I wonder what it is.”  
She reached into the pitcher to get her familiar and when she pulled her hand out there was an earsplitting shriek that made Takeshi's head hurt, but the moment he spotted the reason for it he was laughing so hard his stomach hurt instead.

“It's not funny! I hate wasps!”  
Her voice was shrill and she had taken a few steps back with her arms pulled tightly against her chest.  
“It's actually a hornet.”  
The quip made her temper flare high and bright, and for a moment she forgot about being scared of the large insect.  
“But why? I thought you said my familiar would be _perfect_ for me? Why a wasp, or hornet?”  
“Well, they are really aggressive with nasty tempers, fearless and always ready to deliver a nasty sting, though usually not deadly unless you receive a large number of stings. Sounds like a pretty good match to you.”  
He could hear Knight struggling not to laugh in the main chamber as Jenna jumped him and tried to bite his ear.  
“Though, I think it might be because you fear them. To help you get past that fear and learn more about them.”  
He caught Jenna and set her down on the ground before he walked over to the tree and carefully picked up the large insect and examined it.  
It was obviously an Asian giant hornet, maybe even a Japanese giant hornet, though at nearly twice the normal size of the species it was beyond huge, easily covering the entire palm of his hand.

“Come here, hold her.”  
When Jenna looked at him like he had lost his mind he laughed again.  
“Don't worry, she is a part of you. She would never harm you. Even her venom is safe for you. It would hurt me, but it won't hurt you.”  
“She?”  
The tone was hesitant but she was moving closer.  
“Indeed. I can smell it, you have yourself a little queen here.”  
The fact that the creature smelled alive had Takeshi slightly curious, the girls familiars didn't have any scent other than what rubbed onto them from the girls, this horned smelled like a real one, and yet it was clearly a sanctuary construct.  
“Little...”  
Takeshi could feel a faint amusement from the insect in his hand, but it was not yet fully bonded to Jenna so its presence was faint, its mind not entirely awake.  
Jenna slowly reached out toward the hornet and instantly jerked her hand back when the wings flickered with a buzz and it turned around to look at her.  
“Do they bite?”  
“They can bite. They usually bite when hunting for food. But don't worry, she won't bite you.”  
He carefully stroked the large insect with the pad of his finger, starting at the head and moving down the black and yellow body, the only reaction was a slight twitch when he passed the wings.  
When Jenna continued to stay back he carefully wrapped his aura around her, focusing on calming her.

“ _Do you trust me Jenna?”  
_ His voice was heavy with suggestion and his aura radiated the calm reassurance that was so uniquely him, safety, trust, hope.  
“Yes.”  
Her answer was simple and he slowly held out the hand with the hornet toward her again and this time she met it with her own and without prompting the large insect crawled over to her hand and settled down, wings occasionally flickering but it stayed in her hand.  
He could see the moment it fully connected to her, her eyes went wide and there was a whispered _Wow_ , barely more than a breath.  
 _“An interesting feeling, isn't it.”  
_ He didn't speak, instead he waited for the hornet to relay his thoughts to Jenna and when she was about to speak up he hushed her.  
 _“Use your mind, your familiar with relay your thoughts to me.”  
“I really hope she only transmits what I actually want her to.”_  
The response was so Jenna it made him laugh again, before reassuring her that the familiar wouldn't reveal any secrets, or embarrass her, unless her life was at stake.  
On a whim he leaned in and gave her a quick, teasing kiss.  
 _“Welcome to the family.”  
_ For a moment there was no reaction, just a stunned silence but when the vicious uppercut connected with Takeshi's jaw the silence was broken by Knight who finally lost the battle against his laughter followed by an indignant squeak from Jenna as Takeshi retaliated by giving her another kiss, harsher, more dominating, but equally teasing, holding her for a brief moment before letting her go.  
There was a laugh chiming through the bell like flowers of the Soul-tree and they could all hear the amused sigh as the presence of the Mother withdrew.  
 _ **“Children...”  
**_ When Knight refused to stop laughing despite the glares sent his way Takeshi pounced and gave him the same treatment he had just given Jenna, causing her to blush a vivid scarlet at the sight.  
 _“Alpha...”_  
Knight finally surrendered and submitted to Takeshi's touch and the look of awe on Jenna's face told them that the familiar had relayed some of the silent communication between them, translating the raw transfer of energy into something she could grasp.

Turning back to Jenna Takeshi slowly stalked toward her, carefully taking note of her reactions to make sure he didn't overstep and he was pleased to find that though she threatened and warned him off her aura was inviting so he carefully pinned her against the wall and gave her a gentle kiss.  
“Asshole...”  
The soft grumbling made him chuckle.  
“Remember, you don't have to allow it, tell me, seriously, to stop and I will.”  
Her aura instantly still and settled into a serious pattern, and for a brief moment Takeshi was worried she would indeed tell him to stop.  
“No, it's okay...”  
She clearly had more on her mind so Takeshi settled for gently pulling her closer.  
“I actually like the attention, feeling wanted, desired, but in a safe way... It's a good feeling...”  
Jenna's soft confession made Takeshi tighten his arms around her and lean in for a deeper kiss and for once she returned it in kind.  
 _“Never doubt that you are wanted, desired.”  
_ Taking full advantage of the familiar he spoke without breaking the kiss. _  
“I'm still gonna kick your ass for taking liberties.”  
“I know you are, and I'm gonna keep taking them.”  
“You're impossible...”  
“Indeed, impossible to resist.”  
_The last quip finally pushed Jenna to her limit and knocked him back with a vicious jab.  
“Ah, there's my feisty little queen.”  
He had to admit, the growl she voiced before stalking away toward the entrance was quite impressive.

“She's pretty!”  
The girls instantly wanted to look at Jenna's familiar and as always they instantly accepted it, and started showing Jenna their own, and how they could be altered.  
“Jenna, I know this might be a bit of a personal topic. But if you use blockers your familiar will be able to give you an altered version that is just as effective, but without any side-effects.”  
Emelie opted for bringing up some of the more mundane topics regarding the familiar and its abilities.  
“Wait, you mean like no more dry eyes and sore boobs every month?”  
“Mhm..”  
The popular contraceptive was overall very safe and the side-effects were mild, but a lot of women would suffer some discomfort during the time where they would normally have had their menstruation, common issues were dry eyes and mucus membranes, headaches, sore breasts and fluid retention.  
“How do I do that?”  
“Well, first you need to let your familiar take a drop of your blood, then she will create a compound that is made specifically for you. And you will have to let her sting you to deliver it.”

“Oh...”  
Finding out what she would have to do made Jenna somewhat hesitant, but after a few minutes she nodded with determination, and under Emelie's guidance she instructed her familiar to do what was needed.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Settling In_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Em, sweetie, we need to talk.”  
Takeshi waited until the girls had gone to bed before giving Emelie a gentle nudge to come with him.  
“Oh, falling for Jenna are you?”  
Emelie teased lightly which made Takeshi huff at her.  
“Maybe a little, but that's not what we need to talk about.”  
Emelie's energies instantly shifted into a somewhat concerned pattern.  
“Don't worry, it's something important, but it's not something bad,.”  
“Okay...”  
Nothing else was said as they headed upstairs to the master suite, and the small private roof garden.  
“Lately my pack instincts have begun to rise and pull at me, telling me to claim a second beta for the pack.”  
“Amanda...”  
“Yeah. She would technically become your beta though.”  
“I know and I'm fine with that.”  
“That's not the only instinct that is rising though, my instincts are maturing, telling me it's time to start seeking a mate, or well, mates.”  
There was a long silence as Emelie digested what he had just told her.

“What kind of things can we expect that to cause?”  
“I will become increasingly possessive of those I care about, about those I consider potential mates. And I may start to show courting behaviors.”  
“Such as?”  
“Bringing gifts, being increasingly protective, hand feeding, essentially trying to show off my ability to protect and provide. And I will probably be even more protective of the girls, show that I'm capable of protecting and raising offspring.”  
“So, you being even more you...”  
Her tone was light and teasing.  
“Indeed, probably to the point of being somewhat annoying from time to time. Especially since I don't think I'm actually ready to start a courting or claim a mate yet.”  
“Don't worry, we have handled everything our instincts have thrown at us so far, I'm sure we will manage this too.”  
“I'm sure we will, I just needed to warn you, especially since you are the one who will be the main focus of my instincts.”  
“Don't worry love, I understand.”  
Turning around she straddled his legs and leaned in for a deep kiss, giving him the outlet he needed for his emotions when his words failed him.  
“You will have to talk to Dan and Manda too, won't you?”  
“Yeah. Especially Dan since my instincts tell me he is the one who should be my beta, not Logan.”  
“And yet, for now, Logan has to be the one.”  
“Indeed.”

The whole situation with Dan and Knight had Takeshi somewhat frustrated, his instincts kept telling him that Dan was the perfect beta for him, but at the same time he knew that the only way his alpha nature would be able to tolerate Knight's alpha nature was if Knight acted as beta.  
He also knew that Dan was not ready to become his beta yet, he was still human and simply did not have the instincts for it, meaning he would first have to change the younger man, though, as much as Takeshi wanted to give Dan the blessing he knew he wasn't ready, he needed to find his confidence first.

“Don't worry. I'm sure you will eventually get your precious Dan as your beta. He loves you dearly and he will fight to stay at your side.”  
“I know...”  
The deep sigh made Emelie smile and tut at him.  
“I keep telling you you should just give in and admit that you love him every bit as much as he loves you.”

As usual he didn't answer her, the topic of his feelings for Dan always caused him to shut down, but it didn't bother her, she knew he loved Dan, and she understood that he was doubting his own feelings, he was afraid of not loving Dan the way he felt the younger man deserved.  
She could see that he was falling for Amanda as well despite trying to resist it and she found it somewhat amusing to watch how he struggled with that honor of his when his instincts told him that Amanda was fair game.

“Take, my love. The only one here with any doubts about you, is you.”  
“...”  
“Please, if you can't believe in yourself, then at least believe in us, trust us when we say we believe in you.”  
“I...”  
His voice trailed off and his arms tightened almost painfully around her as he tried to speak.  
“I...”  
Leaning in he kissed her desperately as he failed once again to tell her how he felt.  
“I know love, I know.”  
She just did her best to relax in his grip, ignoring the pain to give him what he needed and after a few minutes his grip softened and he began trailing kisses along her jawline with an apologetic whine.  
“Ssh, it's okay, I'm okay.”

Neither of them felt like sleeping, but Takeshi was so emotionally drained that sex wasn't an option either, instead they just sat in silence and watched the stars in the sky above them.  
“Thank you for understanding.”  
Takeshi whispered softly as the sun began to rise and they rose to get ready for a new day.  
“You are mine to protect and care for just as much as I am yours.”  
Emelie's soft declaration made his instincts stir once again.

 


	7. Birth of an Angel

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Birth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

“Take?”  
There was a sharp knock on the door to Takeshi's study, followed by Matthews voice.  
“Come on in.”  
Matthews posture held a certain stiffness that told Takeshi that he was excited but concerned about something.  
“No use beating around the bush, just tell me what has you so riled up.”  
Matthews sat down with a sigh and reached out to pour himself a cup of the saké that Eriko had brought in earlier but Takeshi stopped him.  
“You are taking a treatment tonight so no alcohol.”  
There was a glare and an even deeper sigh but Matthews listened and instead brought up his reason for coming to Takeshi's study.

“Do you remember back before you were assigned to babysit the asshole? When they were trying to adapt Daniels' sweeper program to their AI project?”  
Takeshi just nodded for him to continue.  
“Turns out they didn't cancel the project and they kept trying even after the attack that killed the others. And they succeeded, they created an AI that incorporated the learning algorithm of the sweeper program.”  
“Oh hell no! That's seriously bad...”  
Takeshi could feel Daniels' spirit flare and work it's way to the forefront of his mind.  
“Not as bad as it could have been. They scrapped the project because they were unable to control the AI's learning. It retained the primary function to seek out information, and they were unable to restrain that, and it would repeatedly find out what the GCTI had done and the moment it did it reverted to some sort of security protocol causing it to lock down all systems it could reach and demand a command code from either you or Daniels.”  
“That's my girl.”  
Within Daniels' spirit echoed his own pride.

“Well, thing is, I have managed to get my hands on the the computer they used, complete with all the software and hard-drives. The AI program is still on it, intact.”  
Takeshi didn't need Daniels' spirit screaming in his mind to understand the implications of that, if they could actually get the AI up and running, and if those codes it kept requesting did indeed put it under his control it could be immensely useful.  
“It will arrive in Honolulu tomorrow so I was hoping I could borrow Dan or Logan and the Blackout to go get it. I figure you want to stay here and work with the girls.”  
“Yeah, I have a lot to do. Just have a word with Dan and I'll let Logan know it's okay to go. Let them decide who goes.”

The computer that Matthews brought back was powerful, but as far as supercomputers went it was a bit dated, a lot had happened in the past decade and the latest in supercomputers were organic and crystalline systems, bordering on Quantum computing.  
Takeshi could feel Daniels' spirit flowing about, begging to merge with him and get to work on the computer, to rip out the software and adapt it to new hardware, ideas of how to adapt Sanctuary crystals into a crystalline system, maybe even be able to achieve true Quantum computing.  
He focused a soothing thought toward the presence, he would get to it once he had made sure the girls classes were set up for next couple of months, there would be some downtime to work with the twins so that they would be okay when he, Emelie and Knight left for Iceland.  
It turned out that Jenna might become the solution to that problem, once she had received her familiar the twins had begun to open up to her and now they accepted her as an aunt of sorts, allowing her to care for them and seeking her out if they couldn't find Takeshi or Emelie.

And then there was Amanda and her continued effort to seduce him into bedding her...  
Takeshi sighed deeply, he knew on an instinctual level that she was plenty mature for such a choice, his instincts knew that her mental maturity matched her physical appearance, his logical side knew it to, knew that she was right when she had pointed out that he had considered her mature enough to choose the Blessing.  
But there was still a part of his logical mind, strictly regulated by social norms that kept reminding him of her biological age and how it was viewed by society in general.  
And then there was the ever growing part of him that just wanted to give in, to claim her and he knew, if he ever gave in and bedded her he would not be able to stop himself from taking her as pack.  
He needed to have a talk with her, explain that part to her, he doubted it would change her mind though.  
Over the past few weeks her determination had just grown stronger and she had grown highly skilled at teasing him, she kept him teetering at the very edge of control and the worst part was that part of him enjoyed being pushed, challenged in such a way.

He sighed again and put down the tablet with the girls curriculum, one thing at a time.  
At the top of the list right now was overseeing the construction team that would be arriving in the morning to build Knight's house as well as a few additions down by the lagoon.  
Luckily most of the structures had been pre-constructed and the elements would be brought to the island via cargo ship and finally a sky-crane would take them from the boat to the secluded beach, the ship would also carry all the needed materials, and the crew would be living on the ship for the duration of the build to minimize the impact on the area.  
There would still be someone watching them at all times though, Takeshi was not taking any chances.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Birth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

“Take, could I have a word with you please?”  
He slowly pulled himself out of the meditative state he was in and with a slight flare of his aura he signaled for Knight to pick up the slack in guard duty before turning to Jenna.  
“What's wrong?”  
There was a nervous shift in her aura, flickering between hesitation, determination and hope, there was obviously something she wanted to ask him but she was unsure how he would react.  
“This hesitation does not suit you Jenna, just ask what you came to ask.”  
She huffed and glared at him, she wasn't too fond of the way he was able to read her.  
“I... I would like to call my parents, let them know I'm okay. I'm sure they are seriously worried by now.”  
For a moment Takeshi blanked out before realizing just what she was saying, he had believed she didn't have a close contact with her parents since she had not mentioned them much, and never tried to contact them.

“How often do you normally talk to your parents?”  
The question held a sharp edge of suspicion.  
“At least once a week.”  
Takeshi let out a frustrated growl, they would have been worried about her even before they brought her out of the in-between, by now they must believe her to be dead.  
“Once a week, and you have waited almost two months without contacting them? On top of the two weeks you were in the in-between.”  
There was a slight growl carrying through his words.  
“There are no phones here...”  
“No landlines, but there are plenty of satellite phones. Or you could have called them while we were in Kahului or Honolulu.”  
“I figured you didn't want me to let anyone know where I was...”  
Her voice wavered as doubts began to creep in and he sighed deeply before taking a few deep breaths to try to calm down.  
“What reason could I possibly have to keep you from talking to your family, for preventing you from letting them know you are alright?”  
She didn't answer him and there was a long moment of silence as he watched confusion, embarrassment, even shame, cross her face and aura.  
With a sigh he pulled out his own phone and tossed it to her.  
“It's a sat-phone so don't forget the country code.”

In reality it was more of a hybrid, it would work of the regular GSM network when available, on the island it would connect to the communications array and it would relay the call over the satellite, the _Tiamat_ had a smaller array, as did the Blackout and if there wasn't an array available it would work as a regular satellite-phone, though with the added benefit of some nice backdoor access to military satellites.  
She was staring at the phone and then at him, confusion written all over her face.  
“I might not be willing to invite them to the island, but I have no intentions of keeping you from your family, or friends. If you wish to meet with them I can arrange hotel-rooms in a city of your choice. At least until I have them properly vetted and have had a chance to meet with them in a safe location.”  
There was still a hint of frustration in his voice, though it was more aimed at himself than at her.

“Go on. Call them!”  
She jumped slightly with a squeak at the almost bark before leveling him with a glare for startling her.  
He didn't like having strangers close to or on the island, that was another reason for his current frustration, while the construction-team was well vetted he hadn't had a chance to personally clear all of them and it put him on edge.  
At a whim he grabbed Jenna and pulled her into his lap, earning him another loud yelp and a few punches before she settled in with a glare, she was quickly getting used to his antics, though it didn't stop her from showing her temper.  
He simply shuffled her around a bit before settling down with his chin on top of her head and wrapped her tightly with both aura and arms.  
She grumbled a bit about not being able to move, but she quieted down quickly and with a huff she dialed her parents number to let them know she was fine.

“No, I'm not in jail. If I was this would have been a collect call.”  
Takeshi wasn't actively listening in on the conversation, but with Jenna in his lap it was impossible for him not to hear the entire conversation.  
“Well, I was going after the scumbags that killed Sam and I kinda ran into a bit of trouble.”  
The responding scolding had Jenna shifting around in a very distracting way which earned her a sharp nip to the ear and a low growl.  
The voices on the phone instantly turned questioning, wondering what the squeak was all about.  
“It's nothing, just the guy who took me in has this habit of using his teeth whenever he wants to make a point.”  
Another burst of chatter and questions had Jenna blushing and stuttering.  
“No! Mom! Not like that!”  
It took a while for her embarrassment to settle enough to begin to explain.  
“Like I was saying, I ran into a bit of trouble. Actually I kinda shot my way into a bit of trouble. Saw this guy going after the same guys as me, thought he was working for one of the other gangs so I tried to shoot him.”  
Her father instantly scolded her that there was no trying, either you did or you didn't.  
“Yes, I hit him, no I didn't kill him, he had some crazy good body-armor. Anyhow, kinda pissed off his second in command who sent his pet after me and I ended up captured and locked up for a couple of weeks.”  
Takeshi chuckled when he heard Jenna's mother reminding her that it had been a lot more than a couple of weeks since last they heard from her.  
“Yeah, yeah. If you let me finish I'll explain. Turns out it was a big misunderstanding and they were there for the same reason as me, to take out the gang because of the people they hurt. He had found Amber and decided to go after them. So we talked it out and I decided to stay with them.”

She wasn't too keen on telling her parents that it was her own assumptions that had kept her from calling, so instead she dove into explaining how Takeshi and the others worked to protect the weak and defenseless, human and animal alike.  
When they asked for a number where they could reach her she explained that she was using Takeshi's private phone and he used her familiar to give her the number to the estate instead.  
After promising to stay in touch Jenna ended the call and handed Takeshi his phone, but when she tried to get up she was stopped by a slight tightening of his hold which she fought for a moment before huffing and settling back into his lap.  
“You really are a strange one, you know that?”  
Takeshi just gave her a light nip on the ear in reprimand.  
“Can't say I mind too much though, you are kinda comfortable.”  
When she leaned back and relaxed fully she was rewarded with a low rumbling growl, almost a purr.  
“This is part of you abilities, you power, isn't it? This ability to calm others, make them feel safe.”  
“In a way. I'm strong and I take my duty to protect very seriously. This echoes through my aura, even when I'm not trying. Others can feel this, the more sensitive they are, the stronger the sensation, and I can also focus on transmitting that feeling when I touch someone's aura.”  
“I think I could get used to things like this, at least as long as you keep those claws of yours away from any inappropriate places.”  
Naturally, after those words, Takeshi couldn't resist letting a claw slowly drag toward the inside of her thigh but this time she just gave him an exasperated sigh and moved his hand back to her knee and he did nothing to resist.

They stayed like that for the rest of the afternoon, just watching the workers as they quickly built a beach bungalow style house and a small jetty on the beach, securing everything onto the deep foundation that would keep everything in place, even if the sand shifted from the frequent tremors.  
Their little island was mostly stable but they did frequently feel slight tremors from the main island and while dormant their own little volcano was in the habit of waking up enough to give them a shake now and then.  
The Mother had assured him that it wouldn't awake fully and erupt, but that there would be tremors from time to time, some _huffing and puffing_ to show it was still alive even if it was asleep.

“Come on, let's head back before we miss dinner.”  
Takeshi had watched the last workers leave and gave the half-asleep woman in his lap a gentle nudge.  
“Do I have to?”  
She grumbled and complained about it being a long walk and no roads.  
“I know you have a good seat, but just how good is your bareback riding?”  
“Haven't been thrown since I was a kid, saddle or no saddle, if that's what you're asking.”  
She gave him a suspicious glare, trying to figure out if he was teasing her or not.  
He gave her a shrug and shifted into the larger wolf form he used to carry someone on his back, but he didn't bother bringing out the tack, he knew he would get a solid punch when she found out he could though.  
“Wait, you're offering me a ride back to the house?”  
 _“I am. If you think you can keep from falling off.”_

The teasing taunt settled it and he could feel her aura shift into an assertive calm, the kind of aura that would keep a horse calm and steady and the Beast was practically purring in delight.  
He could feel her hand wrap into the fur on his withers and with a swift motion she was seated on his back, she clearly had a lot of experience with bareback riding.  
He took a few steps to allow her to find her seat as staying on his back required a slightly different seat than she was used to, but she quickly slid into it and after a few moments he could feel her legs tightening and her weight shift slightly along with her aura and he gave a short bark before letting loose the tightly coiled energy of his body and darting away between the trees.  
He was laughing silently when she cried out in exhilaration and shifted her weight even more while curling her hands tightly into his fur, her position asking for more speed, and the flare of her aura all but demanding he give it to her, so he did.  
When he slid to a halt outside the front garden she slid from his back and into a breathless heap on the ground.  
 _“That was amazing! Please tell me we can do that again.”  
_ She was still trying to catch her breath but her words came in clear, carried by the familiar that had been clinging to her shirt. _  
“We can, maybe take a trip to Alaska and visit Amarok and the pack. Take a proper run across the tundra, show you just how fast I can move when there are no trees to look out for.”  
_ He gave her a good shove with his nose and a quick lick before stepping back and returning to his human form.  
“Eew, doggy kisses!”  
She complained, but there was no temper behind it.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Birth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

 

With the constructions completed the workers had finally left and Knight was off getting settled into his new home, giving Takeshi some time to work on the AI that Matthews had brought him.  
Jenna had brought him a cart piled high with food at lunch and a few hours later Amanda had brought him tea, taking the opportunity to practice her performance of the tea ceremony.  
The gentle knock and soft flare of aura told him that Kasumi was the one to bring him dinner and she entered quietly when he flared his own aura in response.  
“Think you will be able to get it working?”  
“I will, the program is sound and I could start it up right now. But I want to have a more powerful mainframe to run it on.”  
“So, going _shopping_ for some military tech?”  
“Actually, no. We are going to build our own, from scratch.”  
By _we_ he was referring to himself and the remnant of Daniels.  
“We have been looking at the studies and builds of various systems, crystalline, superconductor, as well as the research into optical and quantum computing. Daniels is sure we can build a crystalline optical computer with quantum computing capacity using the sanctuary crystals.”  
He agreed with the idea, the only problem would be interfacing that computer with normal systems to gain access to the global network.  
“I will leave you to it then. _Ganbatte Nii-san_.”

“How's it going?”  
Amanda was visiting Takeshi in the basement room that had been turned into a workshop with the daily afternoon tea and snacks and watched him work with avid curiosity.  
“Really good. I should be ready to do a first test run tonight.”  
“Really? That fast?”  
“Mhm, remember, I have Daniels' spirit with me and she is really good at computers, and Em's mother was highly skilled with electronics. And I do have a decent head on my shoulders when I put my mind to studying something, together we make a pretty good team.”  
“Yeah, but one week to build a crystal computer...”  
“Well, one week to build a first prototype, there is no guarantee it will actually work. Quite the opposite, I'm pretty sure it won't work right away.”  
“Good luck then, and do remember dinner, the twins were quite upset that you missed lunch.”  
“I will. But a reminder might be a good idea.”  
“Sure, I'll come get you.”  
She carefully packed up the tea set and left him to his own devices.

Once the girls had been sent to bed Takeshi returned to his workshop to test the build.  
“What the hell?!”  
Emelie cried out as a muffled explosion was heard and those still awake instantly rushed to the workshop to see what had happened.  
“Everyone, stay here. You're not pack so he might lash out if he's injured.”  
Eriko quickly stopped Amanda and Jenna from entering the workshop while Knight blocked Dan.  
“Take!”  
Emelie hurried over to Takeshi who was leaning against the wall, surrounded by smoldering debris.  
“What happened?”  
“It exploded....”  
“Duh... Are you okay? Any serious injuries?”  
“Not really, just a lot of crystal shards that needs to be removed so I can heal the wounds. I'm just suppressing the bleeding now, just like I did that time when I was shot.”  
“Okay. Come on, to the infirmary you go.”  
After their rescue of Matthews Emelie had insisted that they build a proper infirmary with proper surgical equipment.  
“Are the girls still sleeping?”  
“Yeah, don't worry, the sound proofing is working well, and Lissa stayed to keep an eye just in case.”  
“Good, I don't want them to see me like this and worry.”

With a groan he pushed away from the wall and for a moment he swayed slightly before Emelie stepped up to his side and allowed him to lean against her.  
“Take, what's wrong?”  
The moment they stepped out of the workshop they were met by Amanda and Dan who instantly started fretting.  
“It blew up so I have a lot of crystal shards that needs to be removed.”  
“Ouch...”  
Dan was starting to look rather pale at the sight of Takeshi's injuries, despite the fact that there was very little blood.  
“Dan, why don't you go keep Lissa company, I know how you hate seeing wounds.”  
Emelie quickly suggested for Dan to leave before he got sick.  
“Manda, do you think you can handle helping me clean his wounds?”  
“Yeah, I think so.”  
“Take, can you handle that?”  
“Yeah, don't worry. I'm not seriously injured so my instincts are under control.”  
“Is there anything I can do to assist?”  
Jenna quickly opened the door to the infirmary and turned on the lights.  
“Talk to me, keep me distracted while they work.”  
Takeshi's voice was slightly strained and Jenna nodded while Emelie and Amanda helped him to the small bed.

“Can you sit down, or do you have splinters in your ass too?”  
Em tried to keep her voice light and teasing, but she wasn't entirely successful.  
“I think I managed to avoid getting any there.”  
He carefully sat down, focused on feeling for any sign of splinters as he did.  
“Yeah, it's all clear.”  
“Good.”  
Emelie quickly brought out the large extraction kit, due to how Takeshi's healing worked she had insisted on buying a wide range of grasping forceps and medical tweezers to make removal of foreign objects easier.  
“Sorry, but I'm cutting your clothes away.”  
“No problem, I don't feel like moving to undress.”  
Grabbing the heavy duty scissors Emelie quickly stripped him of his clothes, or well, what remained of them.  
It took nearly two hours before Emelie and Amanda were satisfied that they had removed all the splinters from his back and allowed him to lay down so they could work on his front, which was much more heavily hit.  
“These are in really deep, it's gonna hurt like hell, and they are close to your heart so you really have to keep still.”  
Emelie was slightly concerned about the placement of the splinters.  
“Wait, my venom. It should be enough to numb the worst pain.”  
“Good thinking Manda. Take, try not to fight her venom, okay?”  
“Yeah, I won't.”  
Taking a few deep breaths he tried to focus on keeping still, even with Amanda's venom he could still feel them digging around for the shards, then suddenly he found himself totally distracted as Jenna leaned in and kissed him softly.

“There all done, and just in time for breakfast.”  
Emelie ran her hands over Takeshi's skin one last time, gently using her aura to search for any hint of sanctuary crystal fragments.  
“Thanks, all of you.”  
He breathed a sigh of relief that it was finally done, the amount of control required had been quite exhausting.  
“Why don't you guys go get him fed and I can start cleaning this mess up?”  
Jenna looked at the large amounts of blood with a slight frown.  
“Jenna, you worked just as hard as the rest of us. Leave the cleanup to Eriko, her foxfire will clean and disinfect everything with ease.”  
Emelie grabbed Jenna's arm and ushered her toward the door before giving Takeshi a nudge as well.  
“Come on, she does have a point that you need to eat to replenish all that blood.”  
“Yes sweetie.”  
The teasing tone made her flare her wings and bare dainty fangs at him with a hiss.  
“Yes, alpha.”  
His tone instantly became more serious and he bared his neck to her for a brief moment, acknowledging her concern and her position as his co-alpha.  
After a quick visit to their rooms for clothes they headed down for breakfast.

“Daddy, did you get hurt last night?”  
It quickly became obvious that the twins noticed the way he was eating, and drew their own conclusions.  
“A little, but I'm all better now, just a bit extra hungry.”  
“Okay.”  
“Daddy needs to learn to be careful.”  
The gentle scolding had everyone laughing and agreeing and he submitted to their scolding, offering each of them an apology and a promise to be more careful.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Birth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

Another week later he was ready to do another test run, but this time he was wearing his armor and using Knight's shield for additional cover, he did not want to spend another night getting shards picked out of him in case it decided to blow up again.  
Not to mention the girls would not be as forgiving this time if he didn't take proper precautions.  
The second test ended with a bunch of cracked and smoking crystals, but at least they didn't explode this time, and most of them were still more or less intact.  
Making the crystals grow was easy, Takeshi could do it without even thinking, the problem was to get the perfect structure and composition for them to do what was needed, and to be able to withstand the energy flow.  
He had expected to spend a lot of time working on it, but in the end it took less than two months to get a working prototype, another month to actually install the AI program on it and get it running.

“Here goes...”  
With a deep breath Takeshi flipped the switch and waited for the system to boot.  
The moment the AI activated it began searching for information, going through all the data from the hard-drives that Matthews had acquired in a matter of moments before going into lock-down and demanding a command code.  
Takeshi took another deep breath, it was the moment of truth and he tapped in his personal code with practiced ease and he held his breath as the seconds passed with nothing happening.  
“Greetings Sergeant Kiryu.”  
The voice sounded slightly mechanical, but it was clearly female.  
“Requesting confirmation on the death of Emelie Daniels, Maria Eriksson, Shani Adannaya and Luis Ramirez.”  
As expected from something created from one of Daniels's sweepers it knew that the data inside the files it was able to access might be forged, but there was obviously commands hidden within the code that instructed it to trust him.  
“Yes, as listed in the files they were killed in a GCTI attack on February 13, 2025.”  
There was a long silence before the AI spoke again.  
“My condolences Sergeant Kiryu”  
“I'm not a sergeant anymore. The GCTI is gone. I took it down with the help of my unit.”  
The AI complained about conflicting information and Takeshi told it to file the information as was and disregard the conflict until further notice.

Takeshi spent as much time as he could spare working with the AI and slowly introducing it to additional sources of information, it was still separated from any network access to make sure nothing went wrong, but so far everything seemed to be going well.  
“Good morning Takeshi.”  
“Good morning Computer”  
The usual greeting was somewhat awkward as Takeshi still hadn't been able to figure out a name for the AI.  
“Would you like to meet Maria's daughter, Thomas Matthews and the others who live here?”  
There was a moment of silence before the AI agreed and Takeshi could swear he heard a hint of curiosity in the voice, over the past few weeks the voice had been changing, the mechanical aspect disappearing as it learned more about human speech.

“Everyone I want you to meet the AI that Daniels created.”  
Takeshi had gathered everyone in the conference room for the introduction.  
“Computer, this is Emelie Eriksson, Maria's daughter”  
“Good day Emelie.”  
“Good day Computer, please, call me Em.”  
“As you wish Miss Em.”  
Emelie huffed slightly at the way the AI addressed her, but didn't correct it.  
The introductions were repeated with each of them which took it's sweet time but eventually everyone had been introduced.  
“So this is what you have been doing.”  
“Mhm.”  
All of them were highly curious about the AI and the twins were ecstatic to finally get to see what had been taking up so much of Takeshi's time.

“Let's download some games so she can play with us!”  
“No girls, no downloading anything, not until I can make sure there are proper backups and that nothing can infect the system. Is that clear?”  
“Acknowledged.”  
The AI answered immediately but the twins were grumbling.  
“Sarah, Maria, is that clear?”  
“Yes Daddy.”  
He had to smile at their whispered _Suck-up_ aimed at the AI.  
“How about you teach her some board-games and card-games instead? It would be a good exercise for her.”  
“But, she doesn't have any hands, how is she supposed to play cards? The board-games we can move the piece if she tells us where to move.”  
“Don't worry about that girls.”

When creating the hardware Takeshi had been thinking about what to do for a display and in the end he opted for a holographic system that allowed the AI to project any image it wanted.  
“Computer, initiate the holographic projectors.”  
There was a shimmer in front of them as the projectors came to life and displayed an image of the Milky Way, he had used it as a calibration tool when building it.  
“Why do you call her computer?”  
“She doesn't have a name yet. I have been considering a few names, but I think she should be allowed to pick her own name.”  
“Okay!”

The name issue was quickly forgotten and they began to explain to the AI how to make a checkers board and after a few minutes of figuring out how to make the AI move their pieces they quickly began to play and Takeshi was happy to see that the AI adapted its gameplay to match their skill level despite being able to easily win every game.  
He was sure the twins would be teaching it all kinds of bad habits but it should help it develop a personality and learning by other means than _reading_ files would make the learning algorithm evolve faster.  
There was no need to worry about it going out of control, the core directives were very strict, the AI was unable to harm anyone unless on his direct order, and even then it required a number of conditions to be met, one of them being that a person's life had to be at risk.  
He watched as the twins moved on to teaching the AI about chess, they were laughing excitedly at the AI's interpretation of their description of the pieces, especially when it was time for the Knights or _Horsie_ as they still called them and the small holographic horses began galloping across the board before trotting off to their designated spots.  
The Rooks took the form of a pair of round stone towers complete with battlements and clinging vines.

“Okay. Now we need the same set of pieces on the other side.”  
There was a quick flicker and the same pieces appeared on the black side and the twins quickly corrected the position as the black King and Queen had been reversed.  
“The pieces on this side need to be white, and the ones on that one black so we can tell them apart.”  
The AI showed its ability to quickly adapt when the pieces on the twins side first turned into slightly transparent white opal, and then began to sprout feathery wings.  
“Oh, it's a pegacorn!”  
A closer look revealed that the horses representing the Knights had indeed grown a single horn in addition to the wings and silvery armor.  
Soon there was excited whispers as the black pieces shifted color into the same transparent opal, but black and reflecting a wide range of blues and purples before starting to twist and deform, torn bat-like wings sprouted and the forms turned into something akin to undead, gaining a rotting, skeletal appearance, the Rooks gaining decrepit look and the Knights had a pair of demonic horns instead of the single horn of a unicorn.  
He listened with half an ear as the twins taught the AI how the pieces moved and as much of the rules as they could remember and without really thinking he added a note about teaching the AI the full rules to his list of things to do while working on assembling a second mainframe unit.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Birth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

With the second mainframe up and running Takeshi merged with Daniels's spirit and began coding a set of sandboxes that would be running within a virtual environment behind heavy firewalls, once those were in place he would begin to allow the AI access to the global network, he would be using a hard-line though, he wanted to be able to cut access just in case.  
He was chuckling to himself when the first thing the AI did was access a number of online encyclopedias scanning everything they had on board and card-games and in a matter of seconds hundreds of games were listed on the holographic screen before the AI's searching began to fragment, following related links from the articles it had read.

The next day he left the twins with the AI while he went to have a word with Dan about making arrangements for opening their first shelter for ghost children in LA, additional shelters were being made in several other cities as well and within a year there should be ten of them up and running.  
When he returned they were playing some sort of role-playing game, complete with character sheet, a selection of dice and the AI playing the part of the Game-Master and animating the holographic statues that represented their characters and the monsters they were fighting.

“Having fun girls?”  
“Daddy!”  
“Takeshi-sama.”  
Seemed the AI had picked up quite a bit of information during its last foray on the global network.  
“Hello girls, Computer.”  
“You may address me as _Angel_.”  
The holographic image of a black haired young woman in a long dress with a black to purple gradient, covered in thousand of tiny glinting stars appeared in front of him and after a few moment a pair of huge wings unfolded from her back.  
“A pleasure to meet at last, Angel.”  
He greeted the image with a slight bow which was returned by a slightly deeper bow.  
“The pleasure is mine Takeshi-sama.”  
“Just call me Take like everyone else does.”  
“As you wish, Take-san.”  
The impish tone and _almost_ obedience in regards to his name was definitely something Angel had picked up from the twins.  
After a quick check to see what time it was he walked over and asked to join their game.

Takeshi was going through the final arrangements for the opening of the first Ghost Shelter when there was an eager knock on the door to his study.  
“Daddy, can we play with Angel?”  
“Have you done your lessons and chores?”  
“Yes we have!”  
“Okay then.”  
“Yay!”  
“Hello Angel!”  
“Hello Sarah, Maria. What game would you like to play today?”  
“Chess please!”  
“As you wish.”  
A chess board quickly appeared over the small table in the corner and soon the game was on its way.

Takeshi just shook his head with a smile, it would seem he would have to get to work on installing sensors and projectors in the rest of the estate as fast as possible if he wanted to get his study back because the twins loved playing with the AI and it seemed to be good for all of them.  
In a way playing with the twins was probably a better way for the AI to learn than it would be to play with him, the twins were good players, but they were young an inexperienced, making them do strange, illogical moves.  
He himself was a very skilled played, with experience and a solid sense for tactics and reading ahead, this however made him easier for the AI to predict since his moves were logical.  
The AI on the other hand didn't play to win when playing the twins, it was playing for a draw but would occasionally offer a _mistake_ , intentionally giving an opening that would allow the opponent to win with a few moves if spotted.

The slight tickle of electricity against his wrist told him that it was time to get the twins to bed.  
“Okay girls, bedtime.”  
“Aw, do we have to?  
“We're almost done done with this Adventure!”  
At some point during the evening they had abandoned the chess-game and swapped to some sort of role playing game.  
“No buts, tomorrow is a school-day. You can continue tomorrow after you have done your lessons. Angel remembers exactly what you have been doing so nothing will be lost.”  
The attempted protest that followed earned them a low growl and a quick nip to the ear that they instantly responded to with a low whine and total submission, though Takeshi wasn't entirely sure how much they really understood their own reactions and how much was pure instinct.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Birth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Are you sure you're okay to stay?”  
Takeshi was going through the final plans for the trip to LA and the grand opening with Dan.  
“I don't want to stay behind, but we can't leave Eriko and Matthews alone here, and I'm the best suited to stay.”  
“That doesn't mean you have to be the one to do it. Logan could stay instead.”  
“No, he is a highly skilled fighter and all that, but he needs more lessons in modern security management. And while Matthews does have a pretty good idea of how to run stuff I don't want to put that kind of pressure on him when he's not feeling well.”  
Despite obviously not liking it Dan was determined and it made Takeshi immensely proud.  
“I really need to make all this up to you somehow.”  
Takeshi reached out and brushed his fingers along Dan's cheek.  
“Take...”  
“You deserve so much more than this.”  
“Take, please...”  
Dan's aura was in disarray, making it impossible for Takeshi to tell what he wanted.  
“Dan, I can't sense what you want so you need to tell me, or calm down so I can feel you.”  
There was a frustrated groan, then Dan pounced and kissed Takeshi harshly.  
“Dan...”  
Takeshi gasped softly as Dan's need lit a familiar fire that made him want to toss the smaller man into the pillows in the corner and have his way, but said corner was currently occupied by the twins who were playing some sort of adventure game with Angel.

“Daddy, are you going to hump Dan?”  
Maria's question proved that the twins were paying attention to what was going on in the room.  
“Maria!”  
Dan's somewhat mortified tone made Takeshi laugh.  
“Nah, not while you girls are here.”  
He grabbed Dan who was moving to get up and pulled him back down.  
“I'm going to have to settle for lots of hugs and kisses until you are done playing your game.”  
“Okay.”  
Maria chirped happily and turned her attention back to the game.  
“Take..!”  
Dan squirmed and objected slightly but Takeshi didn't give in.  
“Dan, those two won't be bothered by some snogging.”  
“Take, they're only 9...”  
“I know, but trust me, they can handle seeing us hugging and kissing, it's not like were having sex in front of them.”  
After a moment Dan voice a deep sigh, then huffed and grabbed Takeshi's head and kissed him harshly.  
“Idiot...”  
“Is that any way to talk to your boss?”  
Takeshi teased lightly.  
“It's a perfectly fine way to talk to the idiot I love.”  
“Guess I can live with that.”  
He agreed softly before running his hands along Dan's back, making him arch into his chest.

“Take, I want more.”  
Dan's words made Takeshi glance toward the twins before standing up, bringing Dan with him and quickly walking to the small filing room connected to his study.  
“Girls, you stay here.”  
“Yes Daddy.”  
“Have fun.”  
The teasing tone made Dan grumble again about how they were too young to be teasing them in such a way.  
“Easy Dan, easy. I won't do anything you don't want me to.”  
As usual it was a balancing act to bring them both to the edge and over without triggering Dan's trauma, they still couldn't go as far as penetrative sex, but Takeshi couldn't care less, all he wanted was to be close, and to give Dan as much as he was able to.  
When they returned to the study the twins gave them a quick glance and an approving nod, sensing that Dan was once again calm and happy.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Birth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Take, can we have seafood for dinner tomorrow?”  
Takeshi was slightly surprised at Jenna's question as she usually didn't make any requests.  
“Of course we can. We would have to head out and fish tonight though.”  
The shiver of excitement that rippled through Jenna's aura told him that it wasn't really the seafood dinner she was after as much as spending a night diving and fishing for the bounty of the sea.  
“You know, if you want company to go diving all you need to do is ask.”  
“You have been kinda busy with getting Angel up and running.”  
He could tell she was trying to hide it, but he did notice the slight hint of a pout.  
“Sweetie, working on Angel is a project for my spare time, the people who live here all have priority over that. All you need to do is ask.”  
The soft, almost scolding, earned him a blush and a huff before her usual defense mechanism kicked in and she defended herself with a flare of temper and smacked his arm.  
“Do you want us to go down alone?”  
He ignored her temper in favor for offering her the option of some alone time, which only made her glare at him.  
“Nah, it's fine.”  
When he studied her closely to discern the truth of her words she squirmed slightly before turning her mock glare back on.  
“Okay, family fishing trip it is.”

Other than Melissa and Amanda the other girls were sleeping, as was Matthews so Eriko stayed at the house together with Knight to keep an eye on them while Takeshi took the other down to the lagoon for some fishing.  
“Sorry guys, but since we only have one adult size rebreather Em and Dan will have to man the hooks and nets.”  
“Fine with me.”  
“Same here.”  
Emelie and Dan both had a fairly practical approach to fishing, preferring mass catch methods such as nets and traps, though Dan did enjoy rod fishing at times, but more as a lazy way of being social.  
“So Lissa, what form do you think would be suitable for this little fishing trip?”  
“I think I'll go with dolphin and help chase the fish to the nets.”  
“Good thinking, that's excellent practice.”  
With the jobs assigned Takeshi watched Jenna get into the rebreather, just making sure she had it all sorted.  
“Excellent, let's dive.”

“ _Wow, look at the size of that lobster!”_  
Jenna pointed toward a huge spiny lobster.  
 _“She's a beauty, but we are not going to catch her, big females are needed for proper spawning.  
“I know, but damn, that is one big bug.”_  
Takeshi couldn't help smiling at how ecstatic she was to be hunting on the hidden reef of the island.  
 _“Most creatures here are larger than normal, the Mother protects and blesses this area so the water is clean and rich with all the right nutrient so all the life here is healthy and well fed, allowing it to grow fast and live long.”  
“Oh, that explains a few things.”  
“Essentially, the island and the water inside the barrier is how the Earth is supposed to be, how it is when properly balanced.”  
“How it would be if humans didn't ruin it with their greed?”  
“Indeed.”_

“ _Look, sharks.”_  
Jenna's eager tone made Takeshi turn to look and true to her words a small group of whitetip reef sharks were swimming lazily along the sandy edge of the reef.  
Based on the size of them it was quite obvious they were just pups, not even a meter yet.  
 _“Want to have a closer look at them?”  
“Oh, I'd love to!”_  
Takeshi quickly speared a few of the reef fish next to him before slowly approaching the sharks and offering them a fish, making them focus on him while Jenna swam closer.  
 _“It's okay, they are calm, you can touch them if you want to.”  
“Wow, they feel curious...”  
“They are, sharks are very curious creatures.”  
“And still so calm and gentle.”  
“Try rubbing the underside of the nose like this.”_  
Takeshi gently grabbed one of the larger pups and began rubbing the underside of its snout, quickly calming it into a state of tonic immobility and soon Jenna was carefully trying the same with the smallest of the pups.  
It didn't take long before the shark relaxed and allowed her to pat it and encouraged by her success she tried it with the larger ones as well and Takeshi estimated they had spent about half an hour with the sharks when they lost interest and swam away to resume their lazy hunt.

After a moment of consideration Takeshi decided they had plenty enough of seafood caught and decided to invite Jenna to meet some of the other creatures that called the lagoon home. _  
“Would you like to visit the nursery?”  
“Nursery?”  
“Mhm, come, this way.”_  
The lagoon had a small protected cove that was frequented by spawning hammerheads, they would swim in, spawn their pups, and leave them in the shallow, protected water.  
 _“Aww, they are tiny! And cute!”_  
 _“Be careful though, hammerhead sharks need to keep moving or they will drown.”  
“Okay.”  
_She gently caught one of the baby sharks and allowed it to swim through her hands. _  
“Is that a spotted eagle ray?”  
_ Takeshi had been staying at the edge of the cove to allow her to be close to the pups without causing too much of a stir but when she mention eagle rays he moved in closer.  
 _“Indeed it is, I didn't know they had birthed their pups already.”  
_ After spending some time with the pups Takeshi brought her down to the deeper central section where a group of adult spotted eagle rays had taken up residence.

“That was amazing...”  
Jenna was all teary eyed as they surfaced and she swam up to Takeshi and gave him a tight hug.  
“Thanks for showing me this, for letting me see what they can be like.”  
“You're welcome sweetie.”  
As they slowly swam toward the pier Takeshi considered the woman beside him, and her experience with wildlife conservation.  
“Jenna, would you like to pick up responsibility for the inventory of the wildlife here on the island? Maybe together with Angel?”  
“Really?”  
“Mhm, I usually do a simple survey myself but maybe you would be willing to do a proper one, complete with tagging?”  
“I think I'd like that. Would give me something to do.”  
“I'm working on setting up Angel to control a few drones, I might be able to get her to help you.”  
The conversation continued while he helped her out of the dividing gear, and as they walked back toward the house Jenna's questions turned a bit more technical.

“What kind of tagging would you be using? Wouldn't want to use something that irritates them.”  
“It's a modified version of a satellite GPS tag created using the same crystal tech that I use for everything else here on the island. It's only slightly larger than the RFID tags used to identify animals.”  
“So small, for an active satellite GPS tag?!”  
“Mhm, Sanctuary crystals can be used to create some pretty amazing stuff.”  
“So we could safely tag even the pups with those?”  
“Indeed, and they have unlimited lifespan so no need to retag them, and they can broadcast from several kilometers depth.”  
Takeshi had tested several versions by having Stormborn carry them with him as he patrolled the oceans, the latest version had kept transmitting at over 5000 meters without any signal deterioration  
“How is that even possible?”  
“They don't use a regular radio transmitter to broadcast, instead they synchronize with the Ley-lines, using the Earth's own energy field, life-force, to transmit.”  
“I'm guessing we are starting to touch at the realm of magic?”  
“I guess you could call it that. Do you know Clarke's Third Law?”  
“Hmm? Can't say I do.”

_-Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.  
_

“Oh, yeah. I've heard that one before.”  
“There really isn't a better word for it than magic though as it goes beyond technology as we define it."  
He explained that in order to shape the crystals and make them do what they need them to there was a mental component, mind over matter.  
“So some kind of magitech?”  
“Part magitech, part technomancy.”  
“Okay, that's a bit over my head. I'll settle for it works and it's better than current high tech.”  
Jenna's back paddling at the prospect of an explanation of what their crystal tech would be classified as had Takeshi laughing and agreeing that maybe that was a topic better saved for some other time.  
To be honest he wasn't entirely sure how to define it himself.

 

(¯`·._.··¸.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.,-(_Birth of an Angel_)-,.-~*´¨¯¨`*·~-.¸··._.·´¯)

“Good morning Angel.”  
“Good morning Take-san, Ms Addams”  
“Angel, I have told you to call me Jenna haven't I?”  
“As you wish Ms Jenna.”  
Jenna just sighed and shook her head at the AI's refusal to completely drop titles with the adults living at the island.

“Angel, how is the integration into the Tiamat coming along?”  
Takeshi started by going through the last task he had given the AI.  
“Quite well, I have full control over all primary and auxiliary systems. I am unable to confirm all sensors and displays without assistance though.”  
“Don't worry. I will give you a hand with those tomorrow. So, how does the system feel?”  
There was a moment of silence as the AI considered his question.  
“There is plenty of available memory, the mainframe is running at a fraction of it's capacity and there have been no surges or irregularities in operational parameters.”  
“So, it's comfortable?”  
“Yes, I believe it is. Comfortable...”  
“Good to hear.”  
A lot of the work Takeshi was doing with Angel at the moment was helping her develop her personality and language skills, teaching her to use human terms rather than computer terms.

“Angel, how would you like another task?”  
“What kind of task?”  
“Jenna here has agreed to help me do an inventory of the wildlife on the island and she could use a bit of help.”  
“I don't understand. How can I assist with that other than simple database management?”  
“I have been working on creating drones that you can control. Drones that can be not only your eyes and ears, but your hands as well.”  
The way the galaxy projection shifted told him that he had her attention so he opened the metal case he was carrying, revealing the collection of nano-drones.  
“I would like you to start with trying to control this one, it has been the most stable.”  
Takeshi quickly connected the control unit to the mainframe and placed the small quadcopter on the small desk in what had been dubbed the _Core Nexus_ from one of the Science-fiction games the girls played.  
He watched the screen as Angel initiated the control unit and examined its coding, integrating it into her own systems, then after about a minute the crystal drone hummed to life, but she didn't try to take off, instead she turned it on and of several time.

“Take-san could you secure the drone so that it can't achieve lift while I test the controls?”  
“Of course. It's payload capacity is only 250 grams so I can secure it in the case to keep it from lifting off.”  
“Please.”  
He quickly secured the drone to the landing gear and placed it in the case before securing the landing gear in the case.  
“Okay, it's secured.”  
“Thank you.”  
The drone started up again and this time Angel cycled through the engines, testing them all at various power levels before powering it down again.  
“Would you disconnect the lock to the landing gear please?”  
“Of course.”  
Takeshi quickly set the drone back at the table and unlocked the landing gear so that Angel would be able to detach the claws remotely.  
“Initiating test flight. All parameters recording.”  
Moments later the drone took of with a soft hum and began circling the small room.  
When the drone came closer Takeshi reached out for it with his palm up to see how Angel would respond and the drone quickly evaded the obstacle.  
“Good. Now try to land in my hand.”  
As the drone approached his out held hand to land he moved it slightly to increase the difficulty.  
“Excellent. How about we head up to the garden so you can try it in open air?”  
“Please.”  
The eager tone made Takeshi and Jenna share a look, and a smile while grabbing the metal case with the spare drones.

“So, how does it feel to have the drone?”  
Takeshi and Jenna had walked to the back side of the island with Angel following them with the drone, the winds were stronger and more unpredictable along the ragged cliffs which allowed Angel to test her control of the drone.  
“It's... Liberating.”  
“Perfect, that was what I was hoping to achieve.”  
While he spoke Takeshi reached out and gave the drone which was hovering at his shoulder, a gentle tap with a clawed finger, and somehow it felt good to have a tactile interaction with the AI.  
The drone quickly moved out of reach and flashed rapidly in reds and oranges, silently complaining about the sudden obstacle and light collision then after a few seconds it swiftly moved closer and bumped into Takeshi's shoulder.  
The obviously intentional contact made his instincts stir and he pulled Jenna closer to his side so he could drape his arm over her shoulders and when he gave the drone a look and tapped his shoulder Angel instantly landed it, giving him a sense of closeness.

“Okay Angel, how about you try to control more than one drone at a time?”  
“As you wish.”  
The case on the garden table contained 20 tiny drones and after a few moments all of them activated and Angel carefully did the same pre-flight routine that she had done with the first one before asking Takeshi to unlock them.  
“Now, all of them are slightly different so I would like you to try to see if you prefer one design over the others. There are differences in body, engine and sensor design.”  
“Okay.”  
One by one the drones took off from the case and started flying laps around the garden.  
“It's a strange feeling to get so many data feeds at once.”  
“Any discomfort?”  
“No, just odd, but I think I will get used to it.”  
“Good, don't overdo it.”  
“I won't.”

Takeshi watched the drones fly about for well over an hour before Angel landed them all.  
“Take-san, with your permission I would like to try using the drones to complete the configuration and testing of the Tiamat sensors and projectors.”  
“Of course.”  
“Thank you.”  
“So, have you picked a favorite version of the drones?”  
“Not really. I like the power and mobility of #13 but the sensors on #7 are far superior and the body design of #2 offered good protection for the rotors and handled flying through vegetation very well.”  
“Okay, I'll mix those up into one design and you can give it a try, then once we have a design you like we can just replicate as many as you want.”  
“I think I would like to have a lot of them. If Mr Lindgren agrees I would very much like to assist with the surveillance of the island.”  
“I'm sure Dan would be delighted to work with you.”  
Angel's request pleased Takeshi greatly, he had intended to ask the AI to assist Dan, but that she suggested it herself was a far better scenario.  
“I'll try to have that new drone design as well as a few aquatic drones ready for you by the end of the week, but no promises. It's been brought to my attention that I might have been neglecting paying proper attention to my social interaction duties.”  
The intense scolding that followed had Takeshi laughing and promising he would be more careful not to spend too much time working on _toys_ for her.

In the end he was able to keep his promise by having Julia, Amanda, and the Mother, help him design the prototype for the aquatic drone based on the latest AUV designs, but with their own twist.  
The AUV looked like a cross between a reef squid and a cuttlefish, and the arms carried various tools, sensors and pinpoint cameras to allow her to explore narrow crevices.  
“Come on Angel, time to learn to swim.”  
One of the new drones instantly moved over to Takeshi and took up position next to his shoulder after bumping into it and he gave it a gentle tap in retaliation.  
With the nano drones Angel had quickly developed a habit of physical contact which Takeshi found rather curious, and made him want to create a body for her, but that was a far too large project to get into just yet.

 

  
  


 

 

 

 


End file.
